I See a Darkness
by angelfishlex
Summary: Danielle Smecker is now the mother of twin girls, raising them with a firm, but loving hand. What happens when the murder of a beloved priest causes their Irish father and uncle to reunite with her? Sequel to 'Where No One Stands Alone'.
1. Boston

_Dani's POV:_

_August 8__th__, 1999_

_Dear Murphy,_

_I went to another ultrasound earlier today to see how the "wee ones", as you would call them, are doing. The technician revealed that I'm carrying two little girls. Can you believe it? I'm so happy, I can barely think straight. How are all of you doing? I'm glad you made it home safely. Before you ask me, I will go ahead and answer your question. No, I still don't want Connor to know about the babies. He wanted me to move on with my life, and I will respect his wishes, but only to an extent. Do you think you are ever coming back to America? If you do, that is when I will inform your brother about his children. As cruel as it sounds, I only want to protect them from the gritty truth about your lives as vigilantes…_

I read the draft of my letter to my "brother" repeatedly until I had it memorized. Not feeling pleased with it, I crumpled up the paper into a ball and threw it at the trashcan across my room from my bed. It missed the opening, bouncing against the edge of the lid and landing on the floor.

It had been two whole months since the MacManus vigilantes of Boston had left me behind, heartbroken and pregnant. However, despite my despair that my Irish heroes had left the country, I felt wonderfully ecstatic that I was carrying two beautiful babies inside my womb.

I lay in bed at my Uncle Paul's house, my hands caressing my belly. Sometimes, when I laid here alone at night, I would talk to the little angels growing within me. Often, they would respond to my voice with slight nudges and gentle kicks as if they were talking back to me. They were both pretty active at five months.

As I snuggled deeper into my warm bed, I thought back to earlier that day when Dolly, Duffy, Greenly and my Uncle Paul all accompanied me to the ultrasound. The three detectives made a wager against each other on whether the twins would both be boys, girls, or I would have a son and a daughter.

Needless to say, it was the most interesting doctor appointment I'd ever attended…

.

.

All four men surrounded me as I laid on the platform, feeling the female ultrasound technician skim the scanner across my exposed belly. The twin babies were shown on the monitor screen in blurred, blue images.

"Whoa, check out both of the baby big-heads! Dude, those things are fucking freaky looking." Greenly pointed out, chuckling at the screen.

I glared at him. "Excuse me, those are my kids you're talking about, David. I happen to be a sacred vessel of life. All you've got in your stomach is Sonic." Sarcasm marred my voice.

"Well, Ms. Smecker. I'd say that you've got two girls on the way. And they're on a road to a healthy birth." The technician looked at me warily, as if she sensed something suspicious about me.

"Ha! I knew it! Pay up, sucker." Dolly snapped his fingers and held out an open palm toward Greenly. The disgruntled cop shoved his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out two 20 dollar bills. Dolly swiped them out of his hand with a confident smirk.

"May I ask which of you gentlemen is the father?" The technician flitted her glance at the three detectives that stood around my table.

"Ma'am, none of these men is the babies' father. Their father is far away…for now." I looked at her face, which appeared to be silently criticizing my answer.

"Well, Ms. Smecker, I assume that once the babies are born, they will be placed in a safe and secure home. Thank goodness for the center for unwed mothers."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I tried to keep my tone calm.

"I see a lot of young, single mothers come through this place. It's quite a hazardous way to raise a baby." She took a wet rag and wiped the blue ultrasound goo off my pelvis.

"No, you're wrong. Just because I'm not under the financial support of a husband doesn't mean that I'll be an unfit mother to my children. I'm not a drugged out whore who got knocked up after a meaningless one-night stand. When I have these babies, I will do everything in my power to make sure they are well provided for. As the niece of an FBI agent, I know a few things about protecting the people I love." The woman and I both locked eyes as she stared in shocked silence. "Since you're an ultrasound technician and I'm an Irish pub technician, I think we both oughta stick to what we know and mind our respective business."

She frowned down at me as she rose from her seat to turn the lights back on. I saw my uncle smile at me with pride in the corner of the room. Dolly, Duffy and Greenly all grinned at me with astonishment. "Damn, Dani. No wonder Connor fell in love with you."

Dolly elbowed Greenly hard in the ribs, making him wince. "Don't say the 'C' word around her, man."

I felt a pang of anguish in my heart at the sound of his name, but I felt the little ones wrestle in their warm home, which they would exit in four more months. "That's your daddy's name, girls. I just hope you'll get to meet him one day."

.

.

.

_**4 MONTHS LATER**_

I was alone at the house, putting up some groceries on the counter. The process was slow due to my huge belly, but I was cautious due to the approaching time when I would possibly go into labor.

The kitchen phone began to ring. Wobbling over to it, I picked it up and answered the caller. "Hello, this is the Smecker residence. May I ask who's calling?"

There wasn't a responding voice on the other end of the line. All I could hear was static…and the sound of waves? It sounded completely serene and calm, not like any of the coastal areas in the United States. I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at the number. It wasn't one I recognized, and I was certain that I didn't know anyone who lived near the ocean.

"Hello…hello?" I asked the caller tentatively. After five seconds of waiting for a reply, I hung up, mentally wondering who would just call me like that without talking back…

Then, I felt my water break…and the rippling of coming contractions…

.

.

.

Greenly sped my wheelchair through the hallway of the hospital, making me dizzy. "We're having twins! Sweet Jesus Christ!" He shouted, making a couple of nurses cover their ears.

"Will you stop that, you idiot?" Uncle Paul nearly growled at the bumbling cop, taking the chair handles and pushing me into Delivery.

"But, its fun. Like those intense hospital shows." Greenly argued in defeat, following us into the delivery room. At my personal request to the doctors, they allowed my uncle and my best friend Greenly to be there during the twins' entrance into the world.

"Ow, ow! When do I get that spinal tap thing?" I groaned to the men, pulling myself onto the bed.

"You can't have it until you're dilated enough, honey." I saw Greenly cringe as my uncle answered me.

"I have to wait for the fucking pain to get worse? Why can't I just have the kids now?!" I nearly shouted, tears trickling down my cheeks. My emotional moods had been on a tirade lately, almost unpredictable.

"Maybe its because doctors are evil sadists who like to play God and watch little Catholic girls scream in pain." Greenly suggested.

Another painful contraction enflamed my abdomen, causing me to cry out again.

"Shit! Can we get my niece the damn epidural, please?" My uncle yelled rushing out into the hallway.

Hours later, I was pushing with all my strength, nurses encouraging me to push harder. I cried and screamed, digging my fingernails into the sheets, sweat pouring down my temples. At one point, Greenly took a daring peek "down there" and ended up fainting like a little girl onto the tile floor.

Uncle Paul held my hand tightly, giving me breathing lessons at my side. While I greatly appreciated him and my three detective friends being here for me, there was really one other person who should have been in this room with me…and his name erupted from my mouth for the first time in months.

"CONNOR!" I screamed out, sobs breaking out of me. I continued pushing for what seemed like days…until I finally heard that small sound from behind the protective curtain dividing my body.

A cry entered my ears, one of the most beautiful sounds I had ever heard. "I…I can hear her. It…That's my Isabella Marie." I whispered to my uncle.

Then, I felt the second little baby being pulled out of me, releasing a wail of breath, taking in her first sensation of being outside her warm cozy womb. "De…Delilah Anne." I whispered her name, hearing her cries of breathing.

The nurses and doctors congratulated me enthusiastically. "Well, Ms. Smecker, it seems these two have had a successful entrance into the world. Congratulations, dear."

I could only nod as exhaustion overtook me and I fell into a peaceful slumber.

.

.

.

Not long after, I woke up in my hospital room, with Dolly plugging in a CD player on my bedside table. "I thought you'd like your little girls to hear some tranquil Irish music."

"Thank you. I'm sure they'll like that." As I looked up, I saw two nurses wheel in my two little angels. They wore pink hats to keep their heads warm and were wrapped up in cute blankets.

"Would you like to hold your babies, Ms. Smecker?" One of the nurses asked. I felt choked up as I nodded eagerly.

"I…I have twin daughters." My voice managed to say that much as each nurse lifted one baby out of their cart-beds. They carefully placed them into my arms, adjusting the hats on their heads. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Dolly leave the room to give us some privacy. The music from the small stereo flowed through the room, filling my ears with flutes and soft bagpipes.

Isabella cooed and slowly opened her eyes, revealing that all-too-familiar blue color…her father's eyes. She stared at my face and tried to smile, wriggling her tiny fingers.

Delilah was a little aggravated at being cocooned so tightly in her blanket, attempting to free both of her arms from it, reaching out to me. Her eyes also held the same azure determination of her Irish sire. As the music swelled into a lovely section of the melody, both of the babies' eyes gazed at me in wonder…and they snuggled deep into their blankets, making contented peeps of satisfaction.

I was now a mother.

Gazing around my room, I saw a lovely painting of the Virgin Mary on the wall across from my bed. She had her hands together in prayer, with a golden light surrounding her head. She looked absolutely regal. "I…I hope you and your Son are proud of me today. And I pray for your help and guidance for me to raise my children to the best of my ability." I murmured to the woman in the portrait. Mary only stared back at me with kindness in her eyes, but I knew God could hear what I was saying.

He would help me to bring up my two daughters in this crazy world…and somehow bring their father and uncle to them.

_**AN: This chapter still takes place in the realm of the first film, but the next chapter will start with 'All Saints Day'. There will be a change in the timeline, where the boys will return to America after six years, instead of eight like in the second movie. I hope you guys don't mind that change too much.**_

_**Please review…and Happy St. Patrick's Day! **_


	2. Ireland

_Dani's POV:_

_**6 YEARS LATER**_

"Mommy, Mommy! Wanna know what I colored today?" My five-year-old Isabella presented me with a picture of a horse that she had torn out of her coloring book.

"My picture is prettier, Izzy." Delilah bragged to her sister, shoving her own colored picture of a haloed angel into my hands. All three of us lay on the living room couch, tired after a long day of school (and work for me).

"Nu-uh! Mine is, Dee!" Izzy declared in a whiny tone.

"Girls, what did I tell you about fighting?" I asked them both in a firm voice.

"Not to do it." They both sighed out in unison, hanging their heads.

"Both of your pictures are amazing. How about after your bath, we'll put them on the fridge."

"Okay, mama." Isabella smiled, her blue eyes shining with excitement. Delilah clapped her hands.

"Now, what do I need you to always remember?" I asked them this question almost every night. I made a mantra for them to repeat to me so they would be confident and not afraid to be themselves no matter what. We all recited it together.

"You are kind. You are smart. And you are important." I hugged them both in each of my arms, feeling proud of them for doing their best for me.

After their bath, I tucked them into bed in my old bedroom. My Uncle Paul had died a couple of years ago, leaving the house to me. I had moved into his bedroom, leaving my old one for my daughters to share. Isabella still had her father's blue eyes and a blond sheen to her hair color much like him. Some nights, I found it difficult to look into her eyes when she was angry, since they flamed up with her temper. As for Delilah, she had my chocolate brown hair and her eyes transformed into my green irises, like emeralds. Additionally, she had my stubbornness and the drive to do what she wanted to do, no matter what others said.

"Mommy, some kids at school ask us weird questions." Isabella said as she laid her head on her pillow.

"What do you mean, baby?" I asked her. They were both in kindergarten now, attending South Boston Elementary.

"They ask us why we don't have a daddy." Delilah added sadly.

"Mommy, will you tell us the story about our daddy again?" Izzy asked, sitting up from the bed.

"I wanna hear it, too!" Dee freed herself from her covers and climbed onto Izzy's bed as I sat myself in front of them. The girls snuggled close to each other to listen.

"Your daddy is a very brave man who lives far, far away from here. In a place called Ireland. And his brother, your uncle, is actually his _twin_ brother." I smiled and reached over to gently touch their noses with my fingertips.

"Just like us, Mommy!" Dee shouted, bouncing in her sitting position on the bed.

"Shh! Let Mommy be done talking." Isabella hissed in a whisper. Delilah frowned at her sister and turned back to me.

"Anyway, before you were born, they used to live here in America. Your daddy saved my life and we fell in love with each other. We were both each other's guardian angels."

"Was Daddy a superhero?" Isabella inquired.

"Or a handsome prince?" Delilah asked with obvious curiosity.

"No, he wasn't a superhero or prince, but he was definitely handsome." Both of the girls giggled as I blushed in the bedroom lamplight. "And your uncle Murphy was an amazing man, as well. He was always there for me whenever I needed him."

"Why did they leave, Mama? Will they ever come back?" They both asked the different questions simultaneously.

"They left because…they wanted me to be safe from the bad guys that they rescued Mommy from. And…I don't know if they'll ever come back." I sighed as I saw the disappointed looks in my children's eyes.

"I still love Daddy, even if he's not here." Isabella whispered, yawning despite herself. She leaned on Delilah's shoulder, closing her eyes.

"And Uncle Muffy, too." Dee murmured quietly, leaning her head on her sister's pillow. Both girls cuddled close against each other as I stood up to turn off Izzy's bedside lamp.

"Good night, my wee bairns." I whispered, closing the door behind me as I left the dark bedroom.

Feeling exhausted from my day of work at McGinty's, I decided to watch some of the nightly news on TV to keep up on what was happening in Boston. The main headline of the news shocked me as I sat on the couch, stunned at what I was hearing.

"Good evening. Breaking news on the case of tonight's surprising crime. Inside the Church of the Holy Saints, the beloved clergy, Father Douglas McGinney was found dead inside the sermon auditorium, with two silencer wounds to the back of the skull. In addition, the body was found to be ritualized with pennies in the eyes. Many recall this to be the grisly calling card of the prolific vigilante killers known as the Saints, who went on a murder spree six years ago right here in Boston. Numerous witnesses remember the event where all three of the men executed mafia don Pappa Joe Yakavetta in front of a courtroom of terrified onlookers…then they simply disappeared without a trace. As police confirm the possibility of who could have murdered Father McGinney, the main question hangs heavy in the air. Have the Saints of South Boston finally returned?"

_Oh…My…God…_

_._

_._

_Alternate POV:_

_**Ireland**_

_Peace, they say, is the enemy of memory. So it had been for the MacManus brothers. For some time now, the past had felt like a dream to them. Faded and worn. Then, suddenly, as if not a day had passed, it was back. Noah MacManus could see it in their eyes. He could feel it, heavy in their presence. Something calling them back…_

_Murphy MacManus was reading the most recent letter he had received from Danielle Smecker in front of the fireplace while Connor tended to the sheep. He claimed to have been feeling ill that morning when he got the letter, but he had lied to his brother so he could respond back to her as soon as possible. In his heart, Murphy felt terrible going behind his brother's back, but he had managed to keep his promise to his "sister" for the past six years. He was delighted to hear about his two nieces as they grew, learning how to walk, talk and develop personalities of their own._

_She never sent any photographs with the letters for cautionary purposes, should the letter get into the wrong hands. However, Murphy kept all the letters Dani had written him inside a box with a lock and key he stashed under a floorboard in the brothers' room. Now, all he had to do was hope that Connor never discovered their little stunt until the right time came… _

_Until, by God's will, they would be sent back to Boston…and back to the girl who influenced both their lives._

_That moment came when their Uncle Sibeal's car pulled up in front of the cottage one rainy night, bringing them the urgent news from America about the cold-blooded murder of a clergyman. _

"A priest? Did they release his name?" Murphy MacManus asked his Uncle Sibeal, extinguishing his cigarette in his ashtray.

"No, but I made a few calls. I still have friends in the diocese there. McGinney, Father Dougles McGinney." Sibeal answered, noticing how the brothers exchanged a silent glance at one another. "You knew him?"

"Knew _of_ him. Everybody did. He's a good man. Youth hostels, soup kitchens." Connor, Murphy's twin brother responded gruffly, his voice deep with solemnity.

"He even made it to the papers sometimes." Murphy added, a strange glint in his eyes.

"Listen boys. I think it'd be best if ya just stayed put until we figure out…" Sibeal paused as both of the brothers got up from their seats and stomped out of the house without a backward glance. "…what the hell is going on. Are ya gonna at least try and talk them outta this?" He turned desperately to Noah, who only sat in his chair, calmly smoking his cigar. "Fer all we know, it could be someone just tryin' to get away with murder here."

"Aye, only there's a thousand easier ways to do that. Trust me. Someone's tryin' to call 'em out. Ya kill a preist, in a church, and make it look like it was them. Bring them back with a vengeance. Someone thinks it's really clever. Only one problem with this lil' plan."

"What's that?" Sibeal asked his brother.

"It worked." Noah grinned at him as he answered.

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

We were finally going back to Boston. I couldn't fucking believe it.

Murphy and I walked through the pouring rain toward the barn where were kept our sheep-herding supplies…and our stash of weapons, rosaries and amounts of American dollar currency.

We cut our overgrown beards and hair with our rusted shears that were used to trim the sheep wool from our herd.

Then we stood under the barn shower-heads and bathed ourselves to get rid of the odor of being on a sheep farm for the last six years. Not the most pleasant smell ever, I'd have to say.

We loaded our Glocks, Desert Eagles and handguns…and at last donned our trademark pea-coats and jeans. I hadn't felt this comfortable in six years…I felt like myself again.

After we finished cleaning up, we carried our duffel bags back to our cottage. I lead the way back into the house, making eye contact with my father. Sibeal stared at us nervously as my brother and I stopped and stood in front of the table.

"E-Exactly…what do ye intend to do?" Our uncle asked us both.

In response, I threw a shiny pair of brand new pennies onto the table surface. Murphy answered verbally for me, a furious light in his eyes. "Every last motherfucker that had _anything_ to with it."

_Watch out, America. The Saints are coming for you…_

_**AN: Well, what do you guys think so far? I found this chapter kinda mediocre, but its gonna get to the best bits soon. Please, please review! They're my special lucky charms ;D**_


	3. Line of Blood

_Connor's POV:_

I leaned against the railing of the barge-ship dock, taking another swig of whiskey. It wasn't my favorite drink in the world, but it was the best distraction I could conjure up at that point. I had to stop thinking about her...

For the past six years, there's never been one day that Danielle hadn't haunted me. I kept remembering the day Murphy and I had left her behind in Boston, how I promised to always pray for her safety and happiness. Hopefully by now, she was successful with a job that she loved. Perhaps she was even married to a good man who could take care of her like she deserved to be treated…

As I stared out at the dark ocean churning beneath the ship, I couldn't help but remember that day back in December of '99, six months after I left her crying in her bedroom…

.

.

_I had stumbled out of the village pub, drunk and upset after an argument with my father and brother. They argued that Danielle should have come with us to Ireland, that she would have been much safer here than in America. I refused to hear them out, claiming that Dani had been exposed to enough of the criminal underworld to last a lifetime due to her association with us. _

_After a countless number of alcohol shots, I decided to finally give in to my heart's desire. All I wanted to do was hear her voice and know for myself if she was well. The next thing I remembered was standing next to the decrepit village pay-phone, dialing the number of the Smecker household. Then, I heard her answer on the other end of the line…and my mind went blank._

_She repeated "hello" a few times, sounding slightly irritated that I wasn't responding. What the hell was I supposed to say? More importantly, what the hell was I doing, trying to call her? I stayed quiet as I heard her sigh and hang up the phone. My hand grasped the receiver tightly, shaking with the cold air. A growl building in my throat, I nearly smashed the phone back into its holding place, feeling completely stupid for even going against the will to let her move on. _

_Surely, she didn't even have anything left in America to remind her of me… _

_Nor did I leave anything behind with her…_

_._

_. _

"Ya thinkin' about her again, brother?" Murphy leaned on the railing next to me, holding a cigarette between his lips.

"What do ya think, Murph?" I set the whiskey bottle onto a nearby barrel, slumping down to sit on the cold floor of the ship. "The lass has only been in me mind since the day we left her in the States."

"I know ya miss her, Conn. You're not the only one. But, I'm sure wherever she is now, she's kept up that feisty attitude o' hers and used it to take on the world." Murphy smiled as he stomped out his cigarette with his boot.

"Aye…I'm sure she has the whole Boston Police Department at her feet." I shook my head, smiling to myself at the thought of her giving those infamous angry facial expressions to those tough Boston cops were bragged about not fearing anyone.

_Danielle, ye fiery angel… why do ye still haunt me, woman?_

.

.

.

_Dani's POV:_

After dropping the girls off at school, I called Doc to let him know I wouldn't be coming in until later that night. I really wanted to get a good look at the crime scene at the Church. Initially, I felt crushed at the news of Father McGinney's murder. When I had discovered my pregnancy with the girls, I had confessed to him tearfully as he comforted me with his kind words, insisting that I would not be damned for conceiving out of wedlock. He could sense my genuine fear of being a single mother and advised me to have faith in God and pray to Him every day to help me be the best mother to my children…

Now, I just couldn't fathom the fact that he was gone now…

I sat in the back of the police cruiser next to the red-head FBI Agent Eunice Bloom. She and I had known each other since my uncle's unfortunate death since she was his chosen protégé. Over the course of time, we had become pretty good friends.

"I hope you understand my reasons for coming along, Eunice. I just wanna be sure that I'll be able to help any way that I can with this case."

"Don't you worry, honey. I'm sure your uncle Smecker would be proud of you for showing your brave side." She smiled at me from across the back seat. Since I was considered to be a special ally of the Boston Police Department, they had formed a special agreement that I could lend them a hand with any crimes that were linked to my past with the Saints, but only if it didn't risk putting my kids in jeopardy.

"Just let me warn you about Detectives Duffy, Dolly, and Greenly. The first two might be skeptical with your involvement since you're a newcomer to the city. You know how it is in Boston, everyone knows everyone. Hell, even when I'm at work at McGinty's , I try to maintain my 'native accent' just so I don't sound ripe for any strangers to try and grab up."

"What about Greenly? Do I need to watch out for him, too?" She asked, staring out of the car window. The cruiser was slowly driving through the throng of people crowded around the Church.

"Well, he'll probably just act all horny around us both if we're around him all the time. I remember when I was in labor with the girls, he was in Delivery with me and Uncle Paul. He tried to look up my crotch when my legs were propped up…and he fainted right onto the floor like an old woman!" We both laughed as the cruiser came to a stop near the cathedral steps. The driver got out and opened the backdoor to let us both out.

I exited the car first, spotting all three of the detectives standing at the top of the stairs, scrutinizing me with acknowledgement and greeting. They all stared behind me as Eunice stepped out of the car, her designer heels clicking on the asphalt.

We both strode to the bottom of the steps as the men walked down to meet us. I smiled at my three comrades. "Hi, boys. Long time, no see, huh?"

"Its been better, Dani. How are the girls?" Duffy asked, his eyes flickering from my face to Eunice's. Before I could answer him, he interrupted. "So…I assume you two ladies know each other?"

"Yes, Eunice and I have bonded. It certainly doesn't hurt to have another source of girl power in my circle of 'manly men'." The redhead held out her hand to the men.

"Eunice Bloom. It's a pleasure." Dolly shook her hand nervously, his eyes briefly looking to me as if I could sense if she was faking the pleasantries. "Now, you have got to be Greenly. Dani always said you were the funny one." She smiled, wagging her finger up to the dark-haired cop.

"Well, funny as in 'haha'. Not funny as in 'gay', 'cause I'm totally not." He insisted, trying to talk around a stutter.

"What we're trying to figure out is, with all due respect, Agent Bloom…" Dolly tried to say before Eunice sighed, closing her eyes.

"Special." She said.

"Excuse me?" Dolly asked her, confused by what she meant.

"You see, there's a 'special' before my 'agent'. If we're gonna address each other formerly, I'd appreciate it if you'd pop it in there 'cause it makes me feel special." She grinned at all three of them. "Of course, I was hoping we could be a bit more personable. In fact, I'd welcome you to call me Eunice, and maybe I'd…"

"Okay…Eunice." Duffy's eyes squinted as he said her name. "I don't see why the fuck the Feds are even involved…"

"Whoa, whoa, guys. Shouldn't you be at least respectable enough to watch your language in front of a ladies." I asked them, smirking up at the stunned men.

"She's right, boys. I mean, really. 'Fuck'? This isn't a 'fuck' situation, is it? I mean, we can understand a 'goddamn' or two, but why skip all the way to…"

"What is the Feds' interest in this?" Duffy asked us again slowly.

"Their interest, detective, is capturing the men responsible for the murders of 22 of Boston's finest criminals." Eunice told him pointedly, irritation building into her tone. "They could've sent anyone, and they sent me and Miss Danielle. Now why do you think that is?"

All three of them were silent for us to spell it out for them. "I guess since we've already broken the 'fuck' barrier, allow us to be blunt, boys." I folded my arms, standing up straight.

"It's because we are so fuckin' smart…" Eunice began, allowing me to finish.

"That we make smaht people feel that they are retahded." I declared mockingly, speaking in the Boston accent I used at the bar to disguise my voice. Eunice and I laughed, walking up the church steps together as the male detectives stared after us, baffled out of their minds.

Men…you can't live with them, yet you can't live without them…

Hopefully, by helping Eunice out, I could also help to prove that the Saints had nothing to do with Father McGinney's murder. God help us all…

.

.

.

The past couple of days passed in a blur, with me working nights at the McGinty Pub so I could help Eunice during the day. Whenever I had night shifts, Doc would let Isabella and Delilah play in the upstairs storage room to keep them entertained while I worked. They would usually bring toys from school to play with up there, and they enjoyed it so much that they dubbed it to be their special "hideout".

Then, on Saturday night…after every one of the regulars left, I saw the news channel broadcast that the Saints had indeed returned to America and recently struck out with Chinese drug-dealers who were supposedly supplying heroin for Consezio Yakavetta, son of the infamous Giuseppe Yakavetta.

All this information swirled in my head as I stood behind the bar, my palms sweating on the counter.

"D-Dani, are ya okay, me dear?" Doc asked me kindly, standing in my line of vision in front of the bar.

"Yeah, I…I feel fine." I lied, wiping some sweat off my forehead.

"I know t-this is scary fer ya, b-but, don't ya think it's the Lord's way o' bringin' yer boys back to ya?" He inquired, turning his head away to let out his two favorite words. "FUCK ASS!"

I shook my head, reeling from the fact that the boys were really back here in the country after six long years. What was I going to do when I faced them again?

And the girls…?

Then, I heard the knock on the pub's front door. I looked to the clock and saw that it was 10:30, an hour after the bar actually closed for the night. Knowing full well who that could've been at the door, I rushed to the ladies' bathroom, feeling sick. Fighting the nausea, I mentally kicked myself for acting so weak.

Leaning on one of the sinks, I gazed at my reflection in the mirror. "Come on, girl. You can face them again. You can face _him_ again. And you can finally let your daughters meet their father. They deserve to know him." I whispered to myself, gathering up my confidence.

"Boys, you're a sight fer sore eyes. Come in here wit' that. Get in outta the cold, come on." I heard Doc greet the people at the door. I heard a familiar, slightly high-pitched laugh that I knew didn't belong to Doc as I laid my hands against the door, waiting for the right moment to let the boys see me. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I saw the n-n—news channel. Are you boys alright?"

"Aye, sound as an Irish pound, Doc." I heard his deep, gentle voice, for the very first time since I was pregnant with his children. At last, I found the bravery to reveal myself.

I pushed the door open and walked quietly into the room, holding my head up high. All four men looked in my direction when I entered, staring at me with astonishment, confusion and disbelief. My eyes briefly glanced at the unfamiliar tan-skinned man with the long braid of hair, who ran his gaze down my body for a second before stepping over to the side, sensing the awkwardness in the moment.

"D-Danielle?" Connor said my name first, his voice gruff with breathlessness. "W-what are ya doin' in Doc's…?"

I interrupted the Irishman, walking closer to both of the brothers. Murphy locked his eyes with mine, the corners of his mouth trying to turn to into a little smile. "I happen to work here, if you must know. Connor MacManus...I always knew one day you'd come walking back through that door, into my life again." I folded my arms on my chest, feeling the fire burning in my veins. Sadness and defeat flooded Connor's blue eyes; they were soon replaced by furious determination.

Since I knew he was such a film fan, I figured he'd see through my quote from _Raiders of the Lost Ark_, subtly reciting what Marion said to Indy when he walked back into her life after years apart...into a bar, where she also worked for a living...

Take a wild fucking guess to who I would be in that scenario!

"Danielle, I…there's so much I need to tell ya. If you and I could maybe talk alone…" He tried to say; and I heard two pairs of small feet coming down the stairs.

"Mommy, Izzy took my reindeer! She took my Rudolph!" Delilah and Isabella ran downstairs and came in among the circle of adults. Izzy was holding Dee's special stuffed reindeer in her arms, with tears streaming down her face. They both rushed up to me and wrapped their little arms around my waist.

As they took in the three strange men in the room, they forgot the stuffed animal and stared up at them. Connor and Murphy especially took in the sight of the twin girls. I could feel Murphy's eyes on me with dozens of questions, but I was mainly concerned with Connor's reaction.

"Yer…a mother now, huh? Wow…" The Irishman softened his gaze at the two little ones looking up at him timidly. "But, yer not wearin' a ring." I heard a hint of relief in his tone.

"It's not only that, Connor." I said just loud enough for him to hear. He stared at me with confusion, waiting for me to explain. So, I did just that. "These are your daughters: Isabella Marie and Delilah Anne MacManus."

_**AN: I know, it might seem a bit too early into the story for the big reveal, but I wanted to get the plot going. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think about it. And please…please review!**_


	4. Better Days

_Connor's POV:_

One of the little girls, the one Dani pointed out as Isabella, slowly peeked out from behind her mother, her blue eyes shining with curiosity. She stared up at me with interest while still keeping a good grip on Dani's jacket. I was shocked to see that she had the same eye color as I did.

My mouth opened to say something, but I couldn't form any coherent words. I longed for somebody to fill in the silence, and that somebody turned out to be Murphy.

"Well…these wee ones are even prettier than ya described 'em, Danielle." My brother's voice became gruff with disbelief as I turned my head to look at him.

"Murph…how do ya know…?" My thoughts processed the answer surely enough. These little girls couldn't have been more than six years old and that was how long it had been since I had last seen my Danielle.

_She's not yours anymore, ya fuckin' idiot. Still, she and your brother owe ya a huge explanation. _

"Connor, please…" Dani put each of her arms around the girls, holding them to her sides. "Just let me explain…"

"Conn…Dani and I exchanged letters back and forth throughout the years. She only wanted to tell me about the babies as they were growin' up." Murphy looked between the little girls, who had stepped out from behind their mother and were staring up at me with a mixture of confusion and awe. "But, I'm sure she can give ya a better summary of it than I can." He turned away from me and went to sit on one of the barstools at the counter.

I nodded to myself, looking back to my former love. The other little girl, Delilah, stared at the stuffed deer her sister was holding tightly to her chest. "Mommy… is that man our daddy?" I felt my heart flutter at her small sweet voice questioning her mother. "He kinda talks funny." She giggled, reaching up to wrap her arms around Dani's waist.

"Dee, that's rude!" Isabella turned to look at me again, only she let go of her mother and began to walk toward where I was standing. For a split second, I saw Danielle's arm twitch forward, as if she wanted to pull her child away from me. A mother's protective instincts, I suppose… The blue-eyed waif craned her neck up to get a good look at me. "Hi…my name is Izzy." She waved her small hand in a greeting gesture.

Very slowly, I knelt down closer to the floor so that I was near eye-level with the child. "Aye, and that's a very pretty name, as well." I held out my hand to her so she could shake it. She positioned the stuffed reindeer under her arm and held out her hand slowly. I took my fingers and gently shook her tiny hand with them.

The little girl looked shyly down at the floor before raising her eyes back up to our hands still touching. "You have very warm hands." She smiled widely, with a grin that somewhat resembled mine. "What's that word on your hand?" She held up my hand so she could try to spell out the inked letters on my index finger. "V...E-R...I-T...A-S. What kinda word is that?" Isabella asked, her dark brows arched up, which reminded me of how Dani would look whenever she was skeptical about something.

I couldn't help but chuckle to her. "I believe your mother asked me a question very much like that one, years ago."

"Mommy…I'm sleepy." Delilah yawned and leaned against her mother's side.

"We'll go home in a minute, baby. Why don't you go upstairs and get your toys, okay?" Dani gently pushed her daughter forward to the stairs of the pub. "Izzy, why don't you go help your sister."

Isabella turned away from me and frowned. "Okay, mama." She held back her own yawn before turning back to me. "Are…are you really my daddy?" She whispered, her blue eyes widening.

"Yea…I guess I am yer Da." I smiled at her, still kneeling down to her height. "It was lovely to meet ya, lil' Izzy." I looked behind her to see Delilah making her way up the steps to the storage room of the pub.

"Dee's a scaredy-cat. She doesn't like strangers." Isabella wrinkled her nose, turning to glance back at her sister. Before she walked away from me, she turned back and wrapped her tiny arms around my neck. I felt my body freeze up, but my insides melted with the warm sensation of being embraced by a little girl.

_My little girl…_

"I'm happy you're home, Daddy." She whispered against my shoulder. Very gently, I placed my hands onto her small back, surprised at how miniature and fragile she felt in my arms.

I was at a loss for words as she pulled away from our embrace and ran to the stairs to join her sister. From the corner of my eye, I saw Romeo chatting with Doc, and Murphy staring between me and Dani with astonishment.

"Well, it might take the girls a bit to get their stuff together. Would you like to come outside with me, Connor? I'll explain everything to you, I promise." Dani suggested.

Murphy cleared his throat discreetly. "I…think I left some things in Rome's car." He slid off his stool and made his way to the men's bathroom instead, removing his lighter from his jeans pocket.

"Aye, that sounds about right." I answered her proposal, taking a pack of Marlboros out of my pea-coat pocket. She led the way outside through the side exit of the pub as we entered the cool night air. I heard her shiver with the wind, her long hair blowing around her face.

Dani sat down on the curb of sidewalk, motioning for me to sit down and join her. I nodded silently, lighting up a cigarette. I sat myself a couple feet away from her, remembering that she was uncomfortable around smoke. We both refused to look directly at one another, our gazes focused on the asphalt of the street. "Connor…there's a lot I need to tell you. But, I'm not sure where to start."

"How about ya start with answerin' me this. Did ya know you were pregnant when we left fer Ireland?" I blew out a puff of smoke, feeling my eyes water with the chill of cold air.

"Yes, I did. I found out after you executed Yakavetta in that courthouse. That's why I was so tired and sick all the time." She whispered, her tone implying that she was ashamed.

"Then, why the fuck is it that Murphy knew, and kept it from me all these years?" I laughed a bit at the end of my question, an evident sound of betrayal and defiance.

"Because he was the only one with me when I actually took the pregnancy test. I was feeling ill and helpless; so Murphy was only doing what he could to make sure that I had everything I needed after you had to leave America."

"Aye…that's understandable. I can't believe I didn't figure out that was why you were so exhausted and barfin' constantly." I shook my head to myself, taking another drag of my cigarette. "I just can't believe ya didn't fuckin' tell me, Danielle."

"Well, guess what? It wasn't exactly a cakewalk keeping it from you, Connor." Her voice was low with buried anger that was reaching the surface after many years. "I couldn't risk word getting out that one of the Saints fathered children. Anybody from the Mafia could come after them. If Father McKinney's murder pulled you out of hiding, then I'm sure coming after the girls would be the first priority on their list should anyone know who fathered them. I even refused to have a paternity test at the doctor's appointments. And before you even ask, I never considered giving them up, not in any way. I knew they were yours and that meant I'd have part of you with me. Especially Izzy. She has your eyes and your same color hair, obviously. And every time she smiles, it reminds me...of the good times we had."

I couldn't find words to respond back to her confession. My heart reached out to her as she paused to take a breath. How badly I wanted to console her and praise her efforts for displaying such strength and ambition to be a good parent when I left her at the tender age of nineteen, when she had blossomed into a beautiful woman during our dangerous courtship. And staring at her right then, sitting only mere feet from me on the curb, she looked even more radiant than ever...

"I didn't want to lose contact with you completely, so Murphy and I wrote weekly letters to each other so I could tell him how the babies were doing. Sometimes, I wondered if you ever tried to move on after me…but I never found out except through your brother's letters." She paused to pull a Red Sox cap out of her jacket pocket and place it on her head, pulling her ponytail through the hole in the back of the hat. "He told me that you were drinking a lot more than usual after you arrived back to Ireland. If you were so depressed, why didn't you write to me? Weren't you even wondering if I'd moved on at all?"

"I was mostly hopin' that ya did move on." I growled in a low voice as the irritation returned. "But I guess I stole yer youth be gettin' ya pregnant."

She glared up at me this time, her green eyes burning in the light of the nearby streetlamps. I returned the gesture, instantly regretting what I had just said to Dani. Her eyes glanced down at my hand, then back up to my face.

"I see you're not wearing a ring, either. None of those Irish lasses good enough for you?" Dani turned away from me stare at the empty street in front of us.

"No, none o' them exactly caught me eye." I nearly chuckled at what I was about to say. "Except, there was this one lass. But, oy, she was a fiery one, with green eyes, and long flowin' brunette locks a man could run his fingers through." She stared at me as the description of my ideal dream woman sank in. "Only thing was…she was American, and I ended up breakin' her heart in the end."

"Connor…please." She stood up and tightened her jacket around her shoulders. "I know you didn't come all this way just to woo me back. If I get my hopes up, the past is just gonna repeat itself. I only want you to get to know your daughters while you're here."

"Danielle, ya know I didn't mean what I just said about gettin' ya pregnant." I stood up with her, stomping out the cigarette with my boot. "And a day has never gone by without me thinkin' about ya." I reached out and gently placed my hand on her arm, rubbing it up and down to calm her shivers. "Hell, I even called ya on yer house phone in December the year we left. I was so plastered I could barely walk straight, but I just wanted to hear yer voice, to know that you were well. Ya picked up…but I couldn't respond to ya. I only stood there like an asshole with the payphone in me hand as I heard ya repeat 'hello'."

Dani refused to look into my eyes, keeping her gaze on the wet concrete. I waited for several seconds, anticipating what she was about to tell me. "Connor…you should know that…I went into labor with the girls right after I hung up the phone on you. I know it sounds strange, but it was as if they were getting impatient and knew that it was you on the other end of that line. It wasn't anything to worry about, though. I was due in about a week anyway. And despite the physical pain, all I really remember was wanting you there by me when they were born…" She whispered that last part, so softly I could barely hear her. Before I could say anything, she sighed out a puff of air in exasperation. "But, that's all in the past and I've learned that there's nothing I can do to change it." She pulled away from me and walked to the door. I followed her suit, feeling my heartbeat increase its rate. "Look, while you guys are here, I'm going to do the right thing and offer you a roof over your head and a bed to sleep in at my house. Its really the last place the cops should find you." She kept her eyes on the ground as we stood inches apart in the doorway.

I placed my fingers under her chin, tilting her face up so I could look into her lovely green eyes. "Thank ye, Danielle. "

"But…" She pulled her chin out from the tips of my fingers. "If you're going to be staying at my house, there has to be a rule to follow. Nobody is allowed into my bedroom, unless you happen to be a small girl at five-years-old. Does that sound complicated to you, Connor MacManus?"

"No, ma'am. Not at all." I smirked at her, trying to keep my confident composure.

"Well, its already late, so I better get the girls home and in bed." She opened the door for both of us as I followed her inside. Isabella and Delilah were sitting on one of the barstools next to Murphy

My brother reached out and pretended to grab little Delilah's nose. She gasped and put one of her small hands to her face.

"I got yer wee lil' nose." Murph smiled at her as Isabella giggled at her sister's unhappy expression.

"No, you don't. That's just your thumb in your hand." Delilah pointed to my brother's hand, clenched into a fist.

"Well, I guess ya got me, lass. You've got yer ma's brains, no doubt o' that." He looked up to Dani, who smiled at him.

"Come on, girls. Its way past your bedtime." Isabella rubbed her eyes as Delilah jumped down from the barstool.

"Mommy, can they come stay at our house? We can all have a sleepover." The tiny brunette child asked her mother, grasping onto her hand. I was surprised at Delilah's request. I had figured she was scared of me.

"Why are ya askin', lil' one?" I questioned her as she met my eyes for the first time.

"'Cause you should be with Mommy again." Her green eyes grew wide at her own words. "And I don't like it when Mommy's sad."

"Girls, I think we've bothered these men enough tonight. Come on, lets get to the car." Dani kept her eyes on the girls, gently ushering them to the front door of the bar. Before she let herself outside, she turned back to me and Murphy. "You guys stay here for tonight. Tomorrow, I'll set up the living room where you can stay. Good night, guys."

With that, she walked out of my sight. Once again, silence filled the room except for the sound of car doors opening and closing, then the start of a car engine. A few seconds later, the car revved up and drove away from the pub.

"Well, shit, you guys. I had no idea your woman had kids. That's awesome! And that Danielle of yours is way hotter than you described her, Connor." Romeo chuckled as I glared at him.

"Watch it, Rome. She doesn't have time to cavort with us. And I won't have ya disrespectin' her, either." I placed my pack of cigarettes and lighter back into my pocket. "I don't know about you, but I'm starvin' and I could really do for some shots."

"Is it too late for a couple o' shots, Doc?" Murphy asked the elderly man.

"Oh, the Lord told me ya were comin'. 'Doc', He said. 'They'd be comin''. And I was to have everything ready. So, I have everything r-re-…It's all set."

Romeo cleared his throat loudly to show that he wanted to be introduced.

"Oh, this is our Mexican." Murphy pointed to him standing behind Doc.

Our old friend shook our comrade's hand. "Nice to meet ya, lad. They call me, FUCK! ASS!"

Romeo's eyes went to the wall as if he was confused. "How're you doing, Fuck Ass? I'm Romeo."

Doc turned his cane forward and walked to the stairs that led to the upper storage room. "The…the girls usually play in this room when their mother works at night. It keeps them occupied. T-this room used to be a speakeasy…in-in the forties. I mainly use it for storage now."

He opened the door to the room and led us inside. "Holy shit." Murph and I both said in unison. There sat a pool table, an art easel, and a few chairs covered with sheets.

"This is so fucking cool!" Romeo exclaimed, sounding like a kid who discovered a new clubhouse.

"Nobody knows its up here. You'll be safe. A-and ye can get out on the fire escape." Doc explained to us through his stutters.

"You know what this is? This is a hideout. We got a fucking hideout, man!" Rome kept on his fascination with the dark room.

"What are ya, fuckin' five years old?" I leaned my arms against the pool table after I slipped off my pea-coat. I felt a pang of guilt saying those words that apparently described Isabella and Delilah. Those two angelic girls loved playing in this room also.

"Ya know, Rome. We got sticks and blankets. Ya can make yerself a fort." Murphy picked up a pool stick and blew some dust off of it, grinning mischievously at Romeo.

"Ha, fuck the both of you. Man this is sweet; we even got pinball machines…" Romeo argued with my brother as our night of drinking and celebrating began.

I couldn't believe the fact that I was now a father, or that I had been for six years without even knowing it. Now that I had met them, I longed to get to know them better.

For the first time in three days, I was grateful that we were back in America. And now that I was reunited with my love and two beautiful children, I was not going to leave again…

Now that Isabella and Delilah had entered my life, I now had two more reasons to be a Saint.

And I couldn't help but smile at the thought of seeing them again…


	5. Slow Me Down

_Connor's POV:_

It was now a half hour past midnight as Murphy, Romeo and I sat slumped against the pool table, tired from our celebration of reuniting with Doc and Danielle after all this time. And I couldn't get my mind off of those two lovely girls…my children that were borne from the woman I was still in love with.

Doc sat nearby us, fast asleep and snoring in one the blanket-covered chairs. Murphy smoked a cigarette on one side of me while Romeo munched on a small piece of shrimp on my other side. I leaned my head against the edge of the pool table and closed my eyes, feeling exhausted. Before I could even hope to catch a few hours of sleep, I felt an elbow poke into my arm.

"What?" I grunted irritably, turning my head to look at Rome.

"Nothing, man. Geez, I just wanted to ask you guys about something that's kinda bothering me." Romeo held up his hands in mock surrender.

Murphy and I both waited silently for our comrade to come clean. "Alright. We're listenin'."

"How do we know we can trust this Dani chick of yours? Look, I know she's the mother of your kids, but who's to say she won't turn you in to the Feds when you get to her house tomorrow. Right when you get there, she could have her phone on 911 and…"

"Rome, we know her enough that she would never do that to us. If ya knew her history with us, you'd understand why we're so defensive when it comes down to her." I remarked as Murphy nodded silently in agreement.

"Well, why don't you do us all a fucking favor and fill me in on this 'Dani' of yours?" Romeo wiped his face with a napkin as he finished off his last bit of shrimp.

"'Kay, we'll tell ya the basics about how we met her. 'Cause I'm sure she wouldn't want us givin' all the gritty details to a man she doesn't know. You'll have to ask her yerself if ya wanna know the whole tale, ya understand?" Murphy asked the Mexican in a warning tone.

"Yea, I get it. Now let me hear about this epic romance of yours, Connor…"

So, Murphy and I gave him the verbal outline of Danielle's story while trying to respect her privacy. Romeo's eyes widened in disbelief when we told him about us discovering who our father was and how Dani had taken a bullet in the leg while protecting me from him. We didn't exactly inform Rome about the crime that nearly broke her soul; only that a horrendous offense had been committed against her. By the time I finished telling him about my brother and I leaving her behind and not knowing she was pregnant with my children, his eyes were filled with uncharacteristic sympathy.

"Oh, shit." Romeo sighed out as we finished our story. "She really went through a lot. Man, I only thought she was some bar-girl you knocked up years ago."

"You're wrong, Rome. She's a hell of lot better than that." I lifted up the bottle of beer out of my lap and took another swig. "And they always say that appearances can be deceivin'."

.

.

Later into the night, Romeo fell asleep on the pool table, snoring softly. Murphy and I stayed awake, trying to make conversation about why he kept the girls a secret from me.

"Look, Murph. I understand yer reasons for keepin' her pregnancy a secret. Maybe it was fer the best. But I gotta ask ye this one question: Were ya plannin' ta keep me in the dark about it forever?" I quietly took a drag of my cigarette.

"No, Conn. Dani just didn't want ya to risk comin' back for her and bein' caught by the Feds here in the States. Ya shoulda seen her the night when she found out she was carryin' yer babies. She was afraid and hysterical. And I was only doin' the best I could to help as her big brother. " Murphy extinguished his own cigarette in his ashtray that lay by his feet.

"Aye, I'm grateful to ya fer takin' care of her, Murph." I smiled faintly at my brother.

"I love 'er as much as you do, only in a different way. She's like me lil' sister. There's nothin' I won't do fer that spunky lass. Besides, all that matters now is that we're both here and we've gotten to meet her sweet lil' daughters." He grinned at me before closing his eyes and leaning his head against the pool table.

"Yer right. I guess it was God's will to send us back here, even if it was because of the slaughter of a good man." I frowned as I tried to hold back a yawn. It was late and I knew it was time to get some rest for a big day tomorrow. Time to get to the bottom of this unnecessary murder…and maybe even see little Isabella and Delilah again.

.

.

.

"_You ever wanna find something in Boston that don't wanna be found? My Uncle Cesar's a veterano. Outta the game, but still got his name."_

That's what Romeo told us right before we sat down at one of the tables inside the rundown Mexican restaurant, The Silver Peso. Surprisingly, the older man was willing to help once his nephew informed him of who we were.

"Yakavetta is gunning for you muchachos, and hard. He even posted a reward like Jesse James-style shit. Anyway, any one of his men that take you out, gets his palm crossed. Two hundred-and fifty big ones."

Romeo whistled in astonishment as I glanced across the table meaningfully at Murphy. Consezio really wanted us dead that badly. I clenched one of my fists under the table, trying to hide my internal anxiety.

"A quarter mil for us. Huh…" Romeo looked to both Murphy and I in excitement while Cesar furrowed his brows toward his nephew.

"Us? What are you talking about 'us'?" The old man asked Rome, placing both arms onto the table.

Romeo then began talking to him in the Spanish tongue. _"Uncle, why do you disrespect me in front of my friends?"_

"_I'm disrespecting you? A year ago, you were washing my pots and pans."_

"_Yeah, but I don't wash fucking pots and pans anymore. I'm a part of this, Uncle." _Rome insisted, his tone growing impatient.

_Nephew, this is not my first barbeque." _His uncle started to argue before Murphy spoke up in Romeo's defense.

"_He's with us." _My brother politely informed him in Spanish.

Cesar stared at my brother for a few seconds before asking him for clarification. "Is he?" He inquired, this time in English.

Murphy nodded in response as Cesar turned toward me. "And is my nephew here pulling his own weight?"

I raised two of my fingers and softly patted them against my chest._ "A lot of heart."_ I answered in Spanish.

Cesar turned back to Rome and placed one of his hands on his nephew's wrist in pride. The younger man stared in silent disbelief as his uncle gave us more information.

"Gorgeous George is running the show right now for little Yaka. And if anyone knows where he is, it's that fat fucking ugly perico'. I'll get it out on the wire."

After thanking him for his help, we all headed out back to Romeo's car. As we started the drive back to Doc's, Rome began sniffling and making these wimping noises. Murphy glanced at me with the rearview mirror, asking me what was up with our friend.

As I sat back in my seat, trying to relax, my brother tried to make small talk. "Hey, anybody hungry? Maybe would stop at an IHOP or…"

"Shut up! Romeo's cryin'." I shouted, trying to hold back my laughter. Finally, we couldn't hold it in anymore. Murphy and I burst out laughing much to Rome's embarrassment.

"You fucking assholes!" Romeo shouted as we kept on laughing. Murphy clapped his hands in boyish delight as Rome began to chuckle along with us. "Shut up." He grumbled, trying to hide his smile.

I couldn't wait until tonight to tell Dani about it. She would find it funny, or I hoped she would. Hell, at this point, all I wanted was to see her smile since my return…

.

.

.

_Dani's POV:_

Izzy and Dee had been invited to a birthday party for one of the girls in their kindergarten class. They had begged me to go and I found it to be a good opportunity for them to make some friends. Now, I was glad that today was the party so I knew they would be in a safe place while I helped Eunice with her investigation.

After dropping them off and promising to be back in a few hours, I rushed to go meet Eunice at the salon on 52nd Street. Tying my long brown hair into a bun, stepped out of my car and saw the FBI Agent standing outside the front door of the salon.

"Hey, I'm sorry for my tardiness. I had to make sure the girls were at the birthday party on time." I smiled at her sheepishly as she shrugged.

"Don't you worry about, sweetie. I know the girls will come first in your case. C'mon, let's go find that accomplice of Yakavetta's." Eunice smiled at me as I felt the familiar fire of determination burn inside me.

We walked through the front parlor where dozens of women sat in spinning chairs, getting their hair done. I placed my hand along the badge on my jacket that signified that I was authorized as an assistant to Miss Eunice Bloom so people wouldn't question why I was following her everywhere.

Finally, we made it to the back massage room. A dark haired woman in a white uniform stood by the side of a massage table, working her fingers across Gorgeous George's upper back. By the displeased look on her face, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I also felt disgusted hearing the man's sighs of pleasure as she continued massaging him.

Eunice and I stepped closer into the room and flashed her both of our respective badges that represented the fact that we were here strictly for business. The woman stopped and looked up at us as I put my finger to my lips, signaling for her to be quiet. Eunice went up to the table and took hold of the masseuse's wrist to stop her hands from moving. The redhead then placed her palms onto the man's back as the masseuse held up her hands to me in surrender and quietly exited the room.

As I closed the door behind her and locked it, I heard the man on the table speak. "Somebody had their Wheaties this morning."

I put both hands behind my back and felt the cold metal of my revolver on my fingers. Didn't hurt to check if it was still there. Eunice removed the white towel from George's lower body, exposing his bare ass. Shivering in disgust, I turned away from the sight.

"Hey, let's keep this professional, baby. No offense, but I don't need you calling me all the time." The man muttered, still not noticing that a different woman stood in place of the brunette masseuse.

Getting impatient, I grabbed the large wooden paddle by the wall and handed it to Eunice. As she whacked the man hard with it, I doubled checked to make sure both the front and exit doors to the massage room were securely locked.

George was clearly pissed about being humiliated by a woman and he showed by standing up and furiously running to attack us both. "I'll kill you, you fucking bitches!"

Right then, I pulled my gun at the same time Eunice pulled out hers, making the nude man stop in his tracks. He held up his arms in surrender as his nose stood a mere inch away from my revolver.

"What the fuck did you just say to us?" I pulled the safety off as George's eyes grew big with bewilderment.

"I-I'm sorry I called you that." He apologized in vain, still holding his arms up.

"How courteous of you to apologize. Courtesy is so important, don't you agree?" Eunice asked him, pointing her handgun to his ugly face.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm down with that." He sighed in defeat.

"From now on, George, I'd advise you to be more polite to a woman with a gun. Only common sense." I smiled confidently. He nodded slowly at both if us.

"Good. Now sit your fat ass down." Eunice commanded in her sultry voice. He obliged, sitting down on a nearby stool.

Eunice and I both sat down in the soft massage chairs, eyes intent on the scumbag in front of us. "Where is Consezio Yakavetta? The FBI Agent asked him.

"I don't know." He answered her carelessly, his eyes filled with a subtle fear of us two women.

"Yeah, there's a lot you don't know, man. For instance, you're the only New York guy, George. Your blood just isn't quite as blue as the rest of them, is it?" I asked him, crossing my arms.

"That explains why you ain't safely tucked away in some ivory tower with the rest of them bigwigs sucking on cannoli and cocktail shrimp right now. That's why you're the one he left on the streets, George." Eunice concluded.

"Like you broads know shit all of a sudden. Someone's gotta run our legitimate businesses. Someone's gotta be out there making sure…" George tried to say before I interrupted him.

"Someone has to chum the waters." I smirked at him, feeling proud that I didn't feel a bit scared by this bumbling gangster.

"Bullshit! And I ain't saying another fucking word to you two." He pointed his fingers at both of us, grinning in victory as he turned away from us.

"Good. You can just listen. We know Consezio had that priest killed." He turned his head back to us as Eunice said it to him. "Oh, that's another thing you don't know we reckon. But then why would he tell you that, George? You and your boys on the street, ya'll is bait."

We both stood up from our chairs as he stared up at us. "Gorgeous George, huh? Expendable George is more like it." I mocked him boldly as I placed my gun into the back of my jeans and headed for the door.

Eunice followed me, but not before turning back to the nude man who stared at us, stunned. "By the by, you've got a pretty nice ass for a fat man."

My mouth nearly dropped open as Eunice opened the door for us and we left him there. "God, Eunice. You didn't seriously mean that, did you?" She only smiled at me as we headed back outside to our cars. Our grins got bigger as we made it out of the salon and we both began laughing so hard that my stomach started to hurt… "You could've at least let him put on a towel or something. That's gonna be my nightmare for the next two weeks."

Even after six years, I still had the strength God gave me when I came into the boys' lives.


	6. Home

_Dani's POV:_

After our fit of laughter finally ceased, Eunice and I decided to stop by the Burger King down the street from the salon. I didn't have to pick up the girls for another hour, so I figured we could kill some time and have ourselves a girls' afternoon for lunch. It felt relatively new to me since I hadn't really had time for girl-friends due to Isabella and Delilah being born.

However, I knew I wouldn't trade being a mother for anything else in the world. My girls were worth the sleepless nights and the exhausting chore of breastfeeding when they were infants. Motherhood was truly a rewarding experience for me despite the hardships that came along with being a single woman with two little girls.

"So, how's it been going with you these past couple of days, honey? Does it feel good to be back in the game of dealing with criminals?" Eunice smiled as she plucked a french fry into her mouth. We both sat at a booth inside Burger King near the back so we wouldn't risk having any eavesdroppers around.

I took a sip of my medium-sized Coke as I contemplated my answer. "I've mainly just been running around town, getting the girls ready for their friend Katy's birthday party today. And, in case you were wondering, I've also been practicing my aim at the gun range near Charlestown." I stared down at the white table before us, avoiding Eunice's eyes.

"Are you sure that's all you gotta tell me, Dani?" She raised an eyebrow at me as I looked up at her.

"Well…something happened last night. Something to do with the Saints. But you have to swear not to tell anyone; not even Dolly, Duffy or Greenly." I whispered.

"Mum's the word, sweetie. Tell me." She leaned back in her seat, curiosity lighting her brown eyes.

"Well, last night, I was at McGinty's, cleaning up after closing time. I already heard about the Saints coming back and killing those Chinese heroin dealers..."

So, I told her everything that had happened last night. Connor and Murphy showing up with their strange Mexican comrade (I still had yet to learn his name), introducing the girls to their father and finally having the long discussion with Connor about why Murphy and I kept my pregnancy a secret from him.

After I finished my story, Eunice exhaled a deep breath as if she'd been holding it for awhile. "Wow… I don't know about you, honey, but that tale of yours would make an excellent soap-opera storyline." We both laughed at that, but not too loud so as not to draw any attention. "So, as a woman, I gotta ask you this, Dani. Do you still love Connor like you did six years ago?"

I released a sigh of exasperation. "As honestly as I can answer…yes, Eunice. I still love that man. I know it sounds completely crazy since we didn't have any communication with each other since he left me behind. The only way I'd find out how he was doing over the years was when I'd get a letter from Murphy telling me that Connor wasn't sleeping well or that he'd come home drunk beyond reason because he was so upset about leaving me back here in Boston." I reached behind my head and grabbed my wrapped-up bun of brunette hair.

"And you never tried seeing other men?" She asked me, her tone nearly skeptical.

"I…I really did consider seeing other men, especially after my Uncle Paul died. But, after what happened to me the night I met Connor and Murphy, its just been so hard for me to be able to trust other men. Occasionally, I did meet a few really sweet guys at the grocery store; or even at the bar while I was working. Nowadays, I just never know who I can trust; not only around me, but around my children."

"My advice for you right now, honey, is that if you still love him, don't let him slip out of your grasp again. And from the way you told me of how he acted in Murphy's letters, he still has his heart set on claiming yours for his own." She reached across the table and patted my hand. "It's all gonna work out, I swear."

"You should've seen his face when Izzy approached him in the pub last night. He even kneeled down on the floor so he wouldn't scare her when she got closer. She spelled out the word 'veritas' on his finger. Then, she just hugged him like she'd known him her whole life. I nearly cried watching them. Dee just kinda stayed quiet and hid behind me."

"Well, at least it seems that he's warming up to those two little angels of yours, Dani." She smiled at me as she went to grab her purse. "I reckon I better head back to the station before David sends out the SWAT team after me."

"Wow, it seems Greenly only allows you and me to call him by his first name." I shook my head, smiling to myself. "You know, he even asked me out a couple of times over the years, even back when I was hugely pregnant with the girls. And he's really a good-hearted man, Eunice."

"I know he is, Dani. And you seem to have a good man willing to do anything to make things right with you. Just give him a chance and see." Giving me one last smile, she adjusted the strap of her purse onto her shoulder and headed for the door, leaving me alone with my confused thoughts.

.

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

"Connor." Murphy whispered my name behind me. I turned around to see him pointing at a small portrait of our sadly deceased friend, David Della Rocco. It hung among dozens of other portraits of dead criminals along the wall like a small memorial.

I walked to my brother's side and we both bowed our heads together to pray for fallen pal. The horrible memory of Yakavetta shooting him in the chest without so much as even blinking an eye flashed through my mind as I closed my eyes and prayed in the Latin tongue.

My reverie was broken as I heard my brother's voice again. "Why'd they use his mug-shot?"

I opened my eyes and stared at the picture to see what Murphy was talking about. "What? No."

"Yea, ya remember when he said he was all embarrassed 'cause that fella had to hold up all his long hair behind his head."

"Aye." I responded to the memory of it.

"That's an arm." Murphy ran the tip of his index finger along the image of the mystery arm behind Rocco's photographed head. And we both burst out laughing, remembering all the good times we had back then…

I heard Romeo's cell phone ring as he answered it. From the language he was speaking, it had to be his Uncle Cesar calling in to inform us about Gorgeous George. Murphy and I both listened intently to what Rome was saying into his phone. When he finally finished, he hung up and turned toward us.

"My uncle got the info we wanted. This George bastard frequently goes to this fancy joint on Bunker Hill called Tando's Tanning Salon. Its where he gets his fake-bake at. He's bound to be there around 8:00 tomorrow night."

"Sounds perfect, Rome. We'll be able to get him then." I smiled at my brother as I began to head for the door of the building; on our way back to Doc's where Dani told us she'd pick us up there…

.

.

The sound of honking from Dani's car alerted us to her arrival at McGinty's. Bidding Romeo a brief farewell, Murphy and I grabbed our duffel bags and headed out to her black Toyota. I saw movement in the backseat windows when they rolled down to reveal Isabella and Delilah, sticking their small heads outside to see us better.

"Hello there, wee ones." I greeted them, smiling. Delilah ducked out behind her sister as Isabella waved at us.

"Hi, Daddy. Hi, Uncle Muffy." The little girl's blue eyes shone with a glow of excitement. "Dee and I went to a birthday party today."

The little girl began chattering excitedly as I opened the passenger door to the front seat and climbed inside. Murphy got into the backseat, leaving Izzy sitting in the middle and Dee in the seat opposite her.

"Mommy made you guys beds in the living room so you can sleep there." Delilah chirped up quietly from the backseat. "I…I picked out the blankets for you by myself."

"And you did a good job, baby. I'm proud of you." Danielle smiled through the rearview mirror at her daughter.

"Thank you, Mama." She wrapped her arms tightly around the stuffed reindeer and hugged it to her chest. Something strange stirred in me as I listened to her shy tone of voice. It nearly felt like empathy mixed with protectiveness…like I didn't want her to sound sad.

"When we get to the house, I'll show you guys around. I'll also need to get the girls to bed. Then I can make you something to eat if you want." Dani kept her eyes on the road as she spoke to me and my brother.

"That's alright, Danielle. We ate about an hour before ya got here. Ya don't need to burden yerself." I gave her a small smile in her direction. From the glow of the passing streetlights outside, I could see a tiny grin form at the corner of her mouth.

About fifteen minutes later, we finally arrived at her house. The girls jumped out of the car and nearly ran to the porch steps. Dani reached across the backseat to grab one of our duffel bags, but I stopped her. "No, ya don't, lil' missy. You just get inside yer house safely. Murph and I can carry our bags, okay?"

"Fine. I'm just trying to be a good hostess." She rolled her eyes as she opened her door and almost slammed it in irritation. I saw her petite form walk up the steps to the front door, unlocking it to let the girls inside.

"Man, what was that for? She's only tryin' to help us." Murphy slung one of our bags over his shoulder as I did the same, closing the passenger door of the car.

"I wasn't tryin' to be rude to her, Murph. She's got enough on her plate by lettin' us stay here. I don't wanna burden her anymore than she already has been since we left." I didn't go any further with my rant as I went toward the porch and followed the womenfolk inside.

"Whatever, Conn." I heard him mutter.

We both made it inside the house and were welcomed with the sight of Danielle's living room which consisted of a lovely brown coffee table, a white sofa with a black afghan blanket covering the cushions and a dark green recliner.

"Wow…this is really nice, Danielle." I saw her standing about ten feet away from us, ushering the girls off into their bedroom.

She looked up at me when I spoke to her, momentarily smiling with quiet pride. "Th…thank you. The girls did their best to make it comfortable for you both."

"Believe me, lass. We've slept in worse conditions before." Murphy walked in front of me and set his bag down by the recliner. "This will definitely suffice."

As he removed his holster and pea-coat, I proceeded to do the same before I heard Dani clear her throat. "Are you sure I can't get you guys anything? I've got water bottles, juice, coffee…"

"Danielle, we're fine. We'll be okay fer tonight." I struggled to keep the slight frustration out of my tone. The woman seemed tired enough like she'd already put in a full day.

"Okay then. I'll just make the girls' lunch for school and get ready for bed." She sighed to both of us, heading out to the kitchen.

I blew out a puff of air in silent contemplation, ready to go in there and explain my attitude to her when I saw the small figure coming out of the hallway. Little Delilah was dressed in a set of pink "footsie" pajamas, clutching her special reindeer under her arm. For a few seconds, I saw her stick her thumb into her mouth timidly, staring down at the floor.

Both Murphy and I just watched her in anticipation as she came closer to us, slowly raising her head up to meet both of our eyes. "Do…do you like your room, Daddy?"

My heart melted as I heard her acknowledge me as her father. "Aye…I do, sweetheart. Its really pretty, what ye did with it."

Her emerald-green eyes flitted between me and Murphy, as if she wasn't sure who she should be talking to. At last, she took a few more steps toward me as I sat still on the sofa. "I…I'm glad you're here, Daddy. And you too, Uncle Muffy."

I saw my brother grin widely at her mispronunciation of his name. "Well, we're both happy to be here as well, Delilah."

"I…I just wanted to say good-night to you." She smiled shyly at both of us before making her way to Murphy first. "Night-night, Uncle Muffy." The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping her fingers clutched onto her reindeer.

I kept my seat on the couch as I watched my brother's eyes briefly widen in surprise as his niece hugged him. "Have sweet dreams, lil' one." He smiled at her she pulled away from the hug, gently rubbing one of her shoulders with his hand.

Now, it was my turn…

Delilah set her eyes on my waiting form, taking each step carefully as if she was afraid she would trip and fall down. From the corner of my peripheral vision, I saw Danielle standing in the kitchen entryway, watching with concern as our daughter came to be less than a foot away from me.

Suddenly, one of Delilah's tiny feet slipped out from under her as she took another step. Instinctively, my hands reached out to catch her before she could hit the coffee table. I managed to get ahold of her with my hands under her arms like she was a baby. Her hands grasped onto my arms as I lifted her back up into a standing position.

I heard her let out a small whimper as Danielle stood by Murphy's recliner, hovering over us. "It's alright. I gotcha, darlin'." I whispered to the child still clutching onto me. "Nothin's gonna harm ya." I looked into her green eyes that began soaking with tears.

"I almost hit my head on the table." The little girl wept out. A firm sensation of protectiveness overtook my body as I gently gathered Delilah up in my arms and set her onto my lap. "Daddy…"

She continued to cry as I softly shushed her, looking up at her mother who was watching us vigilantly from the light of the kitchen. Her face seemed to be a combination of relief and anxiety. Delilah clutched onto my shirt as her sobs slowly started to stop and her breathing became more relaxed.

As Dee went nearly limp in my lap with sleep, Danielle walked over to the couch quietly and sat next to me. She looked down at our daughter sleeping peacefully in my arms. An unfamiliar stirring in my chest occurred as I looked into my love's eyes that shone with gratitude. She placed her hand onto my shoulder and squeezed it in silent thanks.

That was the moment I felt hope that perhaps everything could work out between us. Danielle seemed relieved that I appeared to be embracing the idea of being a father to these two adorable girls she brought into the world.

And this time, I was not going to leave them alone and allow them to be exposed to my enemies. Now that Murphy and I were back in Dani's life, we now had more to lose as Saints…

_**AN: I apologize for my lack of updating. I just got done with a 4-week long college summer class. And I know this chapter is mostly talk and no action, but bear with me on this. There's more to come, folks. Please review! They really get my spirits up :D**_


	7. Jar of Hearts

_Dani's POV:_

"Crap, that was awful close. Good catch, Conn." Murphy whispered, making the recliner creak as he moved.

"Shh." I shushed him, taking my hand off Connor's shoulder and placing it in my lap.

"Mommy, is Dee okay?" I heard my other daughter's voice from the hallway. "Did she get a boo-boo?"

"No, honey. She's alright. Your daddy caught her in time." I got up from the couch and walked toward my oldest child. Isabella stepped into the dimly lit living room, holding her stuffed green rabbit, Clover.

"I'm thirsty, Mama. Can I have a drink?" She asked me, looking up with those clear blue eyes of hers.

"Yes, you can have some water. But, then you gotta go to bed so you can be ready for school tomorrow." I bent down and lifted up my daughter to carry her to the kitchen. Glancing over at the couch, I saw Connor slowly stand up with Delilah in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. He nodded his head to me, silently communicating that he'd put her in bed while I took care of Isabella. "The girls' room is down the hall, at the first door on your right." I pointed down the hallway with my finger. The Irishman nodded again in thanks and walked in that direction, walking carefully so he wouldn't jostle the little girl he was holding.

For some reason, my heart swelled with joy at the sight of Connor cradling our child with the utmost care. I was mainly thankful that he saved her from hitting her head and possibly having to get stitches. The last thing I needed right then was a trip to the emergency room…

As I set Izzy down near the fridge, I heard Murphy move around more in the recliner, pushing down the lever on the side to pop up the footrest.

I got a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with clean water from the filter built into the steel refrigerator. Izzy took the glass into her small hands and gulped down all the water. For some strange reason, I was reminded of a memory from six years ago, of a certain morning I mostly wanted to forget…

_Me sitting on Connor and Murphy's tattered sofa in their apartment, both of them clad in worn-out bathrobes… Murphy handing me a glass of water to heal my dry throat and Connor never taking his worried eyes off of me…_

"I'm done, Mommy." Izzy yawned at me, holding her glass up for me to take it. I set it by the sink to deal with it later.

"Alright, off to bed with you." I took her hand and led her to her room. When we passed the den, I saw Connor sitting back on the couch, untying his boots. Murphy lay stretched out on the recliner, his arms positioned under his head for a pillow.

"Night- night, Daddy." Izzy turned her head and waved at her father. I didn't turn to look at him, but I heard him chuckle in an amused way. We were definitely going to talk here in a minute…

Izzy climbed into her bed quietly, holding Clover tightly in her arms. "Goodnight, baby. Sweet dreams." I smiled, giving her a quick Eskimo kiss, making her giggle.

"Goodnight, Mommy." She yawned again and closed her eyes.

I looked over at Dee for a brief moment to make sure she was really asleep. The green blanket that usually lay at the foot of her bed was covering her up to the shoulders. From the serene look on her face, I knew she wouldn't wake up until morning. After giving her a kiss on the forehead, I walked out of the room and left the door cracked open.

I made it back to the living room to find Murphy snoring softly on the recliner. Connor was leaning forward on the sofa, twiddling his fingers together. He looked up at me as my shadow neared his feet. "I guess we oughta have a talk, hm?" He asked me, his soft gruff voice sending a shiver down my spine.

"Yeah…we need to talk about some things, Connor. Come in the kitchen with me. I have to make the girls lunch for tomorrow." I nodded at him, beckoning for my former flame to follow me. His footsteps sounded behind me as I made it to the fridge and started to pull the ingredients I needed to make ham-and-cheese sandwiches.

As I gathered the bread and condiments together, I saw Connor lean onto the counter in front of me, standing on the side that included the dining room. I was standing on the kitchen side, laying out the wheat bread and lunch meat within my reach. Concentrating on my task, I waited for him to say something.

"Danielle…" He started, sighing out my name as if it took great effort for him to say it. "If there is anythin' else I need to know about…ya better tell me right now, girl."

"Connor, now is not the time or place for us to get into one of our heated arguments." I didn't look at him as I spread mayonnaise onto the bread slices. "I've told you everything I needed to last night at the bar. There's nothing else that I feel like you need to know right this very second. I'll tell you everything else when I'm ready."

"Fine. Whatever ya want. Its yer house we're stayin' in, so whatever ya say goes." He drummed his fingers onto the polished counter. "What do ya think about all this shit with Father McKinney?"

"I think it's horrible. I actually met with him a few times after…after you and Murphy left. I confessed to him that I was pregnant with twins, but I wasn't married." I paused and let out a breath of air, feeling irritated. "God, I was nothing but a blubbering mess." Placing the ham slices onto the bread, I did my best to blink back the ridiculous oncoming tears.

As I opened the silverware drawer with my hand, I felt Connor gently take hold of my other hand. I still refused to look at him, but I could feel the burning blue of his eyes on my face. "Danielle, ya gotta know that I didn't want to leave ya behind. But…when I saw ya pass out in the courthouse after seein' what we did to Pappa Joe, I just knew that you'd been through enough hell because o' me."

"That's not the first time you've seen me faint before. And it was because I was sick that it happened." I tried to pull my hand out of his tender grasp, but to no avail. I managed to pull a knife out of the silverware drawer to cut the sandwiches in halves. "Besides, I really don't want to reminisce about you having to rescue me again." At last, I tugged my hand free and held the paper towel down so I could slice the bread into pieces small enough for the girls to eat.

After I finished that task, I took some Ziploc bags out of another drawer and placed the sandwiches inside them so they would stay fresh for the girls' lunchtime at school. I heard Connor step around the counter, basically feeling his strong presence even closer to me. "I am proud o' ya, Danielle. Fer raisin' those two beautiful lil' ones. They're both gonna have boys linin' up at the door fer their hands." I heard him chuckle before I finally had the will to look right at him.

Connor MacManus…the stupid Irishman who managed to irritate the hell out of me.

Who managed to love me despite my convictions that I was no longer worth loving. He taught me that just because I wasn't a virgin anymore, it didn't mean that I was a useless slut.

Connor Liam MacManus, the man of my dreams to this day…

Not responding to his comment, I walked straight to the sink to wash off the knife I had used to cut the sandwiches. And yet, the man continued to talk. "Ya look tired." His voice was grave as he said that.

"I've been tired for the past six years. What did you expect?" I began scrubbing food scraps off the knife viciously with a rag growing more flustered with each word I was saying to him. Before I could think about it, I felt the sharp blade pierce my palm. "Ah, shit!" I half-whispered, trying my best not to shout.

"Dani!" I felt Connor's hands on my shoulders instantly, turning me around to see the damage. "Oh…you're gonna be alright. Where do ya keep yer medicine?"

I pointed to the medicine cabinet and grabbed another clean rag to quell the bleeding. Scarlet liquid gushed from the long cut that ran all the way across my palm. "There's a box of bandages and gauze somewhere in there."

He found both easily, walking back to me as I held my hand under the faucet of cool water. "Here." His voice was soothing as he took my wet hand and dabbed it with a dry washcloth. "Its so the bandage will stick." Connor pulled a small Band-Aid out of its box and carefully set it over the cut, covering it entirely. Then, he unrolled a long piece of gauze material from its roll and began wrapping it around my hand. "Murph and I used to get cut pretty bad on the sheep farm. That's why I know how to do this."

"Yeah, Murphy wrote that you were on a farm in Ireland." I couldn't stop the yawn that overwhelmed the end of my sentence.

"I suppose lil' Dani needs to get to bed?" He held my bandaged hand very gently, almost as if it were made of glass.

"You're right. I need to get some sleep. I've had a hell of a day." I felt Connor pull me away from the sink slowly and tug me along away from the kitchen. "You don't need to escort me to my room. I'll make it there unharmed." I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips.

"I know. But its only me instinct to make sure the people I care about are kept safe." I saw his eyes light up with that familiar glint, which I recognized only when he would look at me…

"Well, as long as you don't suddenly sweep me off my feet and carry me there, then we'll have ended this night on a good note." We walked through the darkness of the hallway to my bedroom.

"Careful, lass. Ya don't wanna tempt me to do just that." I could hear the smirk in his tone.

At last, we made it to my bedroom door, standing inches away from one another with Connor still holding my injured hand. I could almost see his eyes stare at me in the blackness…and the strange comfort that he was near me rippled through my veins. "Thank you for helping me." I whispered, hanging my head.

"No. I oughta thank _you_, sweet Danielle." His fingertips caressed my knuckles as he cradled my small hand in his. "Fer lettin' us stay here in yer house. Ye truly are an angel."

I was at a loss for words. His other hand warmly rested on my cheek, and I couldn't find the sense to pull away.

_Don't fight it. Its pointless. You know you still want him. No, you __love__ him. You always have…_

The nagging voice in my head reminded me of Eunice's words. I didn't want to push Connor away again. After all, who knew how much time we had left in this world?

Before I could even comprehend an answer, I felt his warm breath fan my face, and I made no move to stop him.

Then, his lips were on mine… My heart began racing as I placed both of my hands on his chest, feeling the familiar fabric of his gray shirt. I kissed him back, somewhat reluctantly, then it became more casual, like I'd been waiting for this all along.

And to be truthful…I had been.

Connor's lips were slow on mine, not pushing me to go any further. He wanted me to be comfortable with this reprisal of our relationship…

Finally, I couldn't keep up with it anymore and I pulled away from him, still keeping my fingers tangled in the front of his shirt.

The man before me didn't say anything as he slowly raised his hand off my cheek, but still allowed his fingertips to stroke it. "Dani…I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay. You didn't frighten me. I…I just need to think about this." I opened my bedroom door, stepping across the threshold. Connor stood on the other side as if there were an invisible line separating us.

"Ya know I'd never make ye rush into anythin'. I…How about we just take it a day at a time, let the girls get used to me." Connor sounded nervous, which was strange considering his personality.

"Okay, that's fine." I began to shut the door, but not before I felt him take ahold of my bandaged hand again. He held it to his lips and kissed my knuckle.

"I genuinely thank ye, Danielle Kristina Smecker, fer lettin' us stay in yer lovely home." He smiled my favorite dimpled grin of his as he released my hand and did a little bow before me as if I were a royal queen.

"You're very welcome, Connor Liam MacManus." I smiled myself, performing a curtsy in front of him. Shaking his head, he beamed mischieviously at me again and walked away back into the den.

As I closed the door behind me, I leaned against it and pressed my hands to my heart, letting the joy, ecstasy and fear combine inside it.

To be in love, or not to be in love: That is the question.

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

Less than 24 hours after I had kissed my beloved Danielle for the first time in six years, Murphy and I stood hiding in one of the back rooms at the Bunker Hill tanning salon, where we would find Gorgeous George and figure out what he knew.

He finally came in and settled into the tanning booth, wearing nothing but a bright pink Speedo and singing some stupid tune I failed to recognize. Murph couldn't help but snicker next to me as we came closer to the gangster. I held one of my guns to his head where he lay while my brother leapt up and sat down right onto the lid of the tanning bed, trapping George underneath it. The man grunted under its weight, but I continued holding my gun to his temple.

"What a lovely singin' voice there, Georgie. We'd like ya to sing fer us. Can ya do that fer me?" I asked him in a calm voice before the anger inside me overwhelmed my tone. "Can ya do that fer me?!"

I tapped my gun onto the bottom of the tanning lid, signaling for Murphy to get off of it. We dragged George off the platform and pinned him against the nearby wall, each of us holding a gun to his hands.

"We want the name o' the shooter you motherfuckers used on that priest!" My brother growled fiercely.

"What priest?" George asked, gullibly. Before I could do anything, Murphy backhanded him across the face.

"His fuckin' name!" Murphy nearly shouted.

"I don't know who it is!" The gangster cried out in desperation.

"That's fucking bullshit!" Romeo pointed out behind us. Murphy and I cocked our guns, ready to crucify George with bullets.

"It's the truth! Concezio didn't tell nobody what he was doing 'cause he knew nobody would've okayed it. The shooter's an independent contractor. That's all I fucking know!"

Getting angry at the thought of this shooter coming anywhere near Dani and the girls, I grabbed the gold chain of George's necklace and pulled it tightly around his throat. "Where the fuck is Yakavetta hidin'?"

The man choked against my grip as he answered. "Prudential Building. F-fortieth floor! Jesus Christ!"

Then, his cell phone began to ring. Romeo grabbed it off the table and threw it at Murphy. My brother caught it in his hand and read the text message on the screen. "Ya meetin' someone tonight?"

I let go of George's necklace so he could answer clearly. "Yakavetta's racket chiefs. Street guys. Your kind of guys." Murphy handed me the phone so I could read the message for myself. "You could take a real bite out of crime here. And I can help you."

I smacked against his cheek, getting his attention. "What the fuck is that?" I held the small screen to George's face so he could read it.

"Nobody forgot what you guys did to us last time! Everybody's hiding indoors. They give out the location an hour before." He informed us, his eyes bulging with fear.

"My uncle's place is closed tonight. And I got the key." Romeo told us, a sinister tone to his voice.

I slapped my hand against George's face again. "How's Mexican work fer you, George? Would ya like that?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I think I just shit my European-cut Speedos. You guys are even worse than those two bitches from the other salon."

That statement caught me off guard. "Women? What the hell are ya talkin' about?"

"Yesterday, a redhead cop and a real cute brunette practically attacked me outta nowhere, asking me about Yakavetta and all that shit."

"The brunette, what'd she look like?" Murphy asked him his eyes narrowing with interest.

"She wasn't a cop from what I could see, but she had a small gun on her. But, she was real pretty, you know? From looking at her, you can't even tell she'd even be involved with interrogating gangsters."

"Ah, shit! I knew this Dani chick was onto us, asking questions!" Romeo almost yelled in disbelief.

I had no words to say. Only some thoughts jumbled around inside my mind...

_Damn it, Danielle. You've done it again._


	8. Black

_Dani's POV:_

"What happened to your hand, Mommy?" Isabella asked me from the backseat of the car. I was driving over to their friend Katy's house for a sleepover. Even though it was a school night for them, I was happy that my daughters made a new friend at the birthday party. A couple of weeks ago, when they started their kindergarten class, both of them seemed to stay closed off from their peers.

"I just cut it by accident. Your daddy fixed it for me." I briefly glanced at my bandaged hand that gripped the steering wheel as I drove down Katy's neighborhood.

"Mama, are you and Daddy gonna get married?" Delilah asked, momentarily glancing out her window.

"I…I don't know, baby. Why do you think we should?" I hoped that wasn't too difficult of a question for a smart five-year-old.

"Because I saw him kissing you last night. I woke up to go potty and I saw it." Dee giggled softly as Izzy smiled at her.

"Can I ask you girls a question? Do you like your daddy and Uncle Muffy?" We were coming closer to Katy's suburban house, making me feel secure that we were in a somewhat civilized area of Boston.

"I love 'em! Daddy's so nice and strong! And Uncle Muffy makes me laugh a lot!" Isabella chattered in an excited voice.

"Me, too. Daddy saved me last night. Did you see, Mama? I told you he was a super-hero." Dee pointed rather braggingly at her sister, showing her rare bold side.

"Katy loved the jump-wope we got for her birthday!" Izzy chirped up, changing the subject.

"I wish we didn't play with it the whole time at the party, Izzy." Dee folded her arms and pouted. "You made me jump it a hundred times!"

"Don't be a baby, Dee. If you don't like it, Katy and I will play with it later. You're the one who doesn't like MY special wope." I shook my head silently as I stared at the road and listened to their rant. Isabella had so much of her father in her…

After dropping the girls off inside Katy's house and having them promise me to be good for Katy's parents, I rushed out to my car and headed straight for the police station. Tonight would be the perfect night to help Eunice with the Saints' case since the girls were in a secure place where I knew they'd be safe.

As I drove through downtown, I couldn't ignore the feeling of guilt harboring in my chest for not informing Connor or Murphy about my working exclusively with the FBI as an insider.

Would Connor be furious with me? I knew he would be if he found out without me telling him about it myself. But, once he understood that I was working with Eunice to protect them and not rat them out, we could move on from there.

The question was, where _would_ we go from there…? Throughout all last night, I could still feel the taste of his lips on mine, the gentleness of his hands as he wrapped mine in a healing bandage.

Finally, I pulled my mind out of my romantic thoughts and found myself in the parking lot of the Boston Police Department. Time to get to work…

.

.

.

"What's this?" Eunice held up a tiny Ziploc baggy that contained a small red circle.

"Rosary bead. Found it pushed under the carpet near the victim. Father McKinney wasn't wearing a rosary, so its probably been there awhile." Greenly told her as he leaned forward and wrung his fingertips across his temples.

Duffy entered the conference room where we were all gathered around the table, exhausted from our evening. He held in his arms a huge stack of papers. Dolly sat slumped in his chair asleep, his feet propped up on the table. Duffy smiled and dropped the paper stack onto the table near Dolly's elbow, making him jolt awake.

"The results on all 864 prints found at the scene. All match churchgoers and clergy, but one. Partial on the priest's watch is still unidentified." Duffy informed us all. I sat next to Eunice, laying my head on my arms in exhaustion.

The redheaded cop leaned back in her chair and huffed out a sigh. "No, that's horseshit. Everybody gets printed nowadays. They're even inking up snot-gobblers in kindergarten now. No offense, Dani." She placed a hand on my shoulder.

"None taken." I fought back a yawn as I answered.

"It's a brick wall, anyway. We know Napoleon was wearing gloves. The lab got zilch on the lock and chain. Even the pennies came up clean." Dolly explained even further, making my head spin.

"I'm gonna go powder my nose." Eunice got up from her chair and exited the room, shutting the door behind her.

I sat up and thought hard about all the clues. Sure, I was no detective, but if I considered all the evidence, I could at least put some pieces of the puzzle together.

"Man, Daddy would knock that out like Mike fucking Tyson." Greenly remarked crudely. I rose out of my seat to give him a smack to the back of the head when the door opened again.

"Hey!" Eunice called out to all of us.

"What? I didn't say nothing." Greenly tried to hide as the woman nearly ran to the board that held all the pictures and newspaper clippings of the crime scene and possible suspects.

"McKinney wore the watch on his left wrist. Where was this found, exactly?" Eunice held the little Ziploc in her hand as she stood in front of the crime billboard.

"Right here off his left elbow." Duffy pointed to the picture of the priest's dead corpse.

"It just occurred to me that priests wear the rosary when taking Confession." Eunice smiled at all of us as we all took in what she was saying. The next thing I knew, she pointing out a specific instruction for each of the detectives, speaking so fast I could barely absorb what she was ordering. When she finished and the men all scampered off to do their jobs, I stood next to her and stared at the photo pinned on the board that currently held her attention. "You took your gloves off, didn't you, cowboy? Now why would you go and do a damned fool thing like that?"

I knew she was referring to our suspect…and knew for a fact that tonight was going to be a hell of a wild ride…

.

.

.

My cell phone rang as I sat in the passenger seat of Eunice's car. I answered, hoping that Greenly had some information for us. "Hey, David. Did you get anything new?"

"Yeah. We just dumped a text message from George's cell. Just two words: _"Silver Peso"_. It's a Mexican joint down by the docks. Sent it to his enforcer, JoJo Rhama. Guess gangsters gotta eat too, huh?"

"I think Eunice and I'll crash their party, see if we can make things a bit more exciting for them." I gave Eunice a sly smile.

"You ladies need a bodyguard?" He asked me, a flirty note at the end of his question.

"No thank you, Mike Tyson. Bye, now." I had to hold back my laughter.

"Bye." He hung up, saying goodbye with a slight drawl. _Men…_

"Are you ready for this, Dani?" Eunice stopped the car and set it into park.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I opened my purse and took out my six-shooter. "Two women against the world." I grinned at her with confidence as we exited the car and waited outside the shady restaurant. To be honest, this place was creepy at night.

"We'll wait about five minutes, then you go in to distract them." She instructed me as we hid outside the entrance doors.

"Alright." I sighed in disappointment, but knew that it'd be an advantage because I didn't look like a person likely to pull a stunt on one of these idiots.

Then, I heard some of their voices inside. "Where's Gorgeous?" One of them asked. He was asking about George, the gangster we had interrogated yesterday afternoon. As I found myself wondering that, I heard a loud clanking noise.

I was tempted to peek inside and see what was going on, but part of me was afraid of being caught by one of them.

Then, I heard a familiar voice with the Irish lilt I found to be too distinguishable to my ears. "It's Irish fer 'You're fucked'."

Murphy's voice…! The boys were here! _SHIT!_ Connor was going to kill me! Well, perhaps rather than kill me, he'd just drag me by the arm all the way back to my house and give me a profane earful about keeping another secret from him.

Suddenly, the sound of bullets, combined with silencers filled my ears, with the boys' Mexican comrade shouting out something in Spanish.

Eunice snapped her fingers at me and pointed to the double doors. She held her handgun tightly in her grip, finger poised near the trigger. "Change of plan. Let's see what the boys do, then we'll make our entrance." She explained.

I peeked through the window at the strangest sight. A pile of dead, bloody men lay near the bar while the Saints and their Hispanic friend stood before Gorgeous George. The gangster had a metal rolling table attached to his chest…and he had some Gaelic words painted on his back?

Before the phrase "_what the fuck"_ could run itself through my mind I saw Connor approaching him, pulling a gun out of his holster. "Ya know what I think we should do? I think we should let God decide if he gets a second chance."

"No, no! Come on, man!" George begged the Irishman as he turned him around and pressed the barrel of the gun to the gangster's head.

Due to the fog on the glass, I couldn't clearly see George's face, but I could hear what was being said. What Connor said next made my 24-year-old heart pound so loudly I wouldn't have been surprised if Eunice heard it. "You had best be right with your Jesus, boy." He growled in a deep Southern drawl that nearly made my knees go weak.

"Oh, God." I took a deep breath, trying to slow down my heart rate.

"Relax there, cowgirl. You can lasso and ride your Irish bronco when we're done here." Eunice lightly hit my arm to get my attention.

She was right. Now wasn't the time to be acting like the dumb cheerleader drooling over the star quarterback. _Focus, Dani._

We opened the double doors as quietly as we could and slipped inside, staying concealed in the dark entryway. The next thing I saw was George walking away toward the back of the restaurant to the kitchen, probably trying to slip out without being seen.

"Ya know, that was perhaps one of the finest examples o' spiritual guidance I've ever had the good fortune to witness." Murphy complimented his brother, crossing himself.

"It was wonderful, wasn't it? Mysterious ways, I tell ye." Connor had his back to us, looking at Murphy. Right then, I saw movement in the corner of the room. In the back window of the restaurant, I saw a man with what seemed like a shaved head looming closer through the side exit. From the intent look in his eye, I could tell he wasn't up to any good.

Before Eunice could say anything, I aimed my gun and stepped out into the light. The woman behind me did the same, shooting at the suspect while the three men ducked out of the way of our bullets. The strange man missed as his own bullets managed to avoid us. I got him in the arm while Eunice hit him right in the stomach. The man doubled over in pain for a brief moment and disappeared out of sight.

Connor, Murphy and their Mexican ally stood up and aimed at us. Or rather, the boys aimed at Eunice while the Mexican went to the side exit and made sure our short acquaintance was really gone. "Put it down, now!" Murphy shouted at Eunice.

I stepped in front of her, setting my gun down onto the bar and holding up my hands. "Easy, guys. And we're alone. She's with me." I told them both in a calm voice.

"He's gone." The Hispanic man came back from the side exit and joined us.

"Dani…what? Who the fuck is she?" Connor asked me, slowly lowering his weapon.

"My name is Eunice Bloom. And we're your guardian angels." She stepped out from behind me and placed her gun on the bar countertop next to mine. "The torch was passed to me by a mutual friend."

"Mutual friend? By the name of fuckin' who?" Murphy asked intently, ever the hothead.

"My uncle, Paul Maximilian Smecker." I shot back at my "brother" as he lowered his own weapon at my furious gaze.

"We heard. He was a good man." Murphy looked with softened eyes at both of us ladies.

"Aye, ye both have our condolences." Connor stepped closer to me, his own eyes filled with understanding toward Eunice and empathy at me.

"Thank you." I responded, imagining the questions filling his mind right this moment.

"Didn't I tell you guys this bitch would rat us out? She led a fucking cop right to us!" The Mexican man stepped closer to me, pointing accusingly in my direction.

"Excuse me? Who the hell do you think you are to badmouth me when you haven't even spoken to me before?" I nearly yelled, wanting to hit him.

"Look, I already know about you and Connor, but who's to say you wouldn't rat them out just to get some fucking reward?" The weird man waved his own gun at me.

"Rome!" I heard Connor yell in anger.

"The real fact of this is that I'm here to save your asses from landing in a jail cell because these two men saved my life. If it wasn't for them, I most likely wouldn't be here. How's that for a goddamn reason?" I got right in his face despite that the top of my head came to about his shoulder.

"Well…what the fuck do these broads have to do with this? What the fuck is going on here?" Rome asked, pointing at both me and Eunice. Connor came closer as I stepped away from the Mexican and gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Let's speed this up before your new sidekick's gotta dig any deeper into his impressive vocabulary." Eunice chimed up. "Like Danielle explained, I am an FBI Agent controlling this investigation from within in order to ensure that you gentlemen never see the inside of a prison cell. Now, I've conspired to work with three like-minded individuals who have aided you in the past. Though, Dani and I have yet to inform them of our agenda because…well…we girls gotta have our fun." She smiled and winked at me.

"Dolly, Duffy and Greenly?" Murphy asked, leaning against the bar.

"Hmm-mm. The very same." She answered in a soft voice.

"How are the lads doin'?" Connor asked her, folding his arm around my shoulders. I fought the urge to lean into his side.

"Two of them are scared. One's just horny." She removed her dark blue jacket and placed it onto a nearby chair.

"Bet I can tell ya which one." Murphy raised his eyebrows suggestively and smirked, making me laugh.

"Betcha can. Let's save it for group. Right now, we've got a big problem." Eunice folded her arms and walked toward me and Connor, who still kept his strong arm wrapped around my shoulders.

"What's that, then?" Connor asked her, ending his question with a hint of skepticism.

"This simply won't do." She pointed around at the pile of lifeless corpses. Immediately, I understood the chores that had to be done. Time for some readjusting of a crime scene…

After a couple hours of positioning dead bodies, squirting blood around and removal of DNA, the place was made into a completely different scenario of what happened at the Silver Peso. Basically, it was a gang spat gone awry.

.

.

.

Later into the night, we were all at the McGinty pub, planning to surprise Dolly, Duffy and Greenly with the boys' arrival. As we waited for Eunice to bring them along, Romeo finally came to apologize for acting so rashly toward me.

"Look, I know we kinda got off on the wrong foot but… it did freak the fuck outta me when I saw you pointing that gun. But, you did save our fucking lives, man." The bizarre Mexican grinned at me in a friendly way.

"I guess I'll forgive you for your own sake. If I don't, I'm sure Connor and Murphy will have something to say about it. I'm Danielle. Its nice to meet you." I held out my hand to him.

"Romeo. And believe me, there's a reason people call me that." He raised his brow in a flirty manner as he shook my hand in earnest.

"Thanks, I'm sure you're quite a catch, but… I think I've found the man meant for me." I smiled at him as he released my hand.

I backed away a few steps and bumped into a solid chest. Strong hands placed themselves onto my shoulders. Looking down at one of them, I saw the word _Veritas_ inked along the finger. "Danielle, would ya mind of we talked…alone?"

"Okay. Sure, Connor. I've got lots of explaining to do." My voice went up an octave, picturing the anger in his eyes at another secret being revealed.

He led me out near the entrance of the pub, a secluded area where we could speak privately. I leaned against the wall and folded my arms, waiting for him to speak. Instead, he only stood at the wall opposite me, sighing out a deep huff of exasperation. His eyes held mine in an inescapable gaze.

"You can yell if you want." I whispered. "I won't mind. I know I should've told you, but…I was so confused thinking about having you back in my life and how…how the girls would take it…" I failed to notice that I was blabbering until I saw his shadow loom over me. His hands gently took hold of my face and I stopped talking when I looked into those blue eyes of his.

Then, his lips covered mine once again, only now it was something more than just a goodnight kiss. My arms wrapped around his neck as I stood on my tiptoes. I leaned back against the wall to balance myself while his arms moved to secure my waist. It made me feel strangely self-conscious since I had gained a few pounds after the girls were born.

At last, I was able to inhale oxygen as Connor traced his fingers across my lower back, tickling me slightly. Then he smiled widely with that grin I loved so much and laughed a deep, vibrating chuckle. "What the hell am I gonna do with ya, woman?"

I smiled at him, trying to hold back my giggles. Before I could answer him, I saw Murphy standing a few feet behind Connor, leaning against the wall and holding his hand to his mouth.

From what I could see, he was smiling and trying hard not to laugh out loud. "And we'll return to _The Young & the Restless_ right after these messages." He laughed loudly as Connor turned to glare at him.

"Fuck you, Murph. There's nothin' wrong with a man kissin' the woman who just saved our lives." He turned to look at me again, keeping his hold on my waist.

"I know, Conn. She's indeed our guardian angel." He came closer to us as I walked out of Connor's embrace. "Lil' Dani, I don't know where we'd be without ya."

"For all I know…I have no idea either." I reached up and gave Murphy a well-deserved hug. "I am really happy to see you guys again." Before I knew it, he reached up and wiped a tiny tear off my cheek.

"I'm real happy to see you're healthy and well, lass. We are the wee ones tonight?" Murphy asked me, briefly glancing at Connor.

"They're at a sleepover with a friend of theirs from school." I looked at both of the boys as I answered. "Well, I figure Eunice should be here any minute with the detectives."

"Aye, let's go get ready to surprise the livin' hell outta them!" Murphy bent down and swung me up in his arms. I couldn't stop the squeal of laughter that rang out of me.

"Hey, get back 'ere with the mother o' me children, ya lil' bastard!" Connor yelled playfully as Murphy ran out of the room and back into the bar like an energetic little boy. He was careful not to drop me as he walked to the counter and sat me on top of it.

"Murph? Don't tell Connor this, but I did gain a few pounds over the years." I whispered as he sat next to me on a barstool, sticking a cigarette in his mouth.

The Irishman glanced at me as if I was crazy. "Dani, that doesn't mean shit to me brother. You're the loveliest lass he's laid eyes on." He gave me a side wink as he lit up, turning his head away from me.

Connor entered the room again and leaned against the wall of the entryway, just looking at me as I sat on top of the bar and stared back at him. In that moment, I knew that I fully accepted the boys back into my life and I wasn't going to let anything happen to them, especially where the girls were concerned.

However, little did I know that my prayers for permanent protection would go unanswered…


	9. Into Dust

_Dani's POV:_

"It's after hours. I mean, if you ladies want a drink…" Greenly offered both me and Eunice as they all walked from her car across the street toward the pub entrance. I stood by the front doors, waiting for the group to come closer.

"Thirty-seven bodies later, and we're finally back to where it all began. You boys ever heard of the Southern expression, 'We have an elephant in the living room'? I hope you fellas brought some peanuts." Eunice told them with a confident stride to her gait.

She and I led the trio of nervous detectives inside, sharing a secret smile between ourselves. I pulled myself up onto the bar and sat down on it while Romeo leaned against one the stools. The detectives stopped when they saw me sit near him.

"Wait, what is this? Who the fuck are you? You're either Vice or IAD. You're IAD, aren't you?" Dolly rambled on, pointing at Rome. "Alright, come on! Fucking arrest us!"

Then, it all came down as Connor and Murphy rose up from behind the bar and sprayed all three of the stuttering men with the fountain sprayers. "Hands above yer head!" The Irishmen yelled playfully as I burst out laughing. I sat between both of them as they "shielded" me from the oblivious victims to our prank.

"Stop it! Goddammit!" Duffy managed to shout before the boys stopped spraying them. All three of the men's heads were soaked with either beer or soda.

"Ya don't write. Ya don't fuckin' call!" Connor shouted in loud mischief.

"Ya should be ashamed o' yerselves." Murphy jabbed playfully, holding his cigarette between his fingers.

"Get the fuck outta here!" Greenly yelled in happy disbelief.

"You knew all along?" Duffy asked me and Eunice incredulously.

"You fucking bitches!" Dolly got down on his knees in front of Eunice and scootched to her, joyously wrapping his arms around her waist. She patted his head as he laughed. "Thank you! Thank you!"

We all laughed in light of the humor. I was secretly relieved that the detectives knew about the boys being back so they'd stop being so damn paranoid about the discovery of them being accessories to murder. After all, I was in that same category…

About half an hour later, after the merriment subsided, Eunice got down to business and informed the boys about the real suspect who killed Father McKinney.

"That's the feller?" Connor asked her, holding up a photo of the criminal in his hands.

"That's the fella. He's a Sicilian immigrant, name of Ottilio Panza. He'll be front page news in the morning, but we have to assume Yakavetta knows we've ID'd his guy. Can't give him time to 'Plan B' us." Eunice explained, standing between the boys. I sat in between Connor and Romeo, checking the time on my cell phone. 2:45 in the morning…

"We're hittin' 'im in 48 hours. That fast enough fer ya?" Murphy asked in his husky voice.

"Should be. Where's it gonna happen?" Eunice asked, putting the suspect photos in her jacket pocket.

"The Pru." Connor answered her, extinguishing his cigarette in an ashtray.

"The Prudential? What are you, cracked?" Dolly asked him, leaning forward in his barstool.

"Why don't you just do it on center ice at a fucking Bruins game?" Greenly put sarcastically, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

"That's where the man is, so that's where we're goin'. No guts, no glory, Greenbeans." Connor shook his head at him, gently putting his arm around my back. I struggled to suppress a yawn.

"In fact, we could use a few extra hands. That is, if you boys can still get yer Irish on." Murphy briefly glanced at me, as if he was expecting that I'd speak up.

"Hey, I got balls for days, pal-ey. I'm a fucking sack-o-matic!" Greenly announced, making me smile.

"He's a sack-o-matic." Connor laughed, pointing at Greenly as he moved his arm up to my shoulders.

"Well, guys. I think I better head home and get some shut-eye. The girls are gonna wonder why Mommy has such big ugly bags under her eyes." I chuckled to myself.

Connor grunted and placed his tattooed finger under my chin so he could see my face clearly. "_Sei Bella in ogni modo." _He purred in what I could guess was Italian.

Feeling the energy beginning to drain out of me, I slid down off my stool to join Eunice. "You boys have fun. Connor, Murphy. Escort a couple of ladies to the door."

"Aye." Murphy answered as Eunice looped her arm through his. She took her other arm and linked it to Connor's. I did the same with his other arm, halfway leaning on him.

"You lasses sure ya don't wanna hear the plan?" Connor asked us as he and Murphy led me and Eunice to the entryway. "I'm not one to sit here and brag, but…"

"Jesus." Murphy sighed out, folding his arms.

"This one's really Picasso. Ya shut yer hole." Connor scolded his brother playfully.

"No, I wanna critique your masterpiece with fresh eyes. Besides, it's a school night. Got some homework to do." Eunice briefly looked down at the floor, away from us.

"What's the matter?" Murphy asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Panza knew ya'll were in there tonight, and he just…let it happen. I mean if he's working for Yakavetta, why would he just stand by and watch all his men get taken out?"

"Ya think we got us another fox in the henhouse, then?" Connor questioned her, momentarily glancing at me.

"Starting to look that way. Somebody pushed that visa through. We're gonna have ourselves a genuine _Ghost and the Darkness_ here."

Both of the boys nodded in understanding. I, on the other hand, was really too tired to say much else. "Well, I better head home so I can look presentable when I pick up the girls tomorrow." I smiled at the thought of seeing my babies again.

"All right, Dani. Stay safe on the road." Eunice smiled at me, opening the door and walking out to her own car across the street.

"Do you wanna stay here for a bit longer, or come with me?" I asked both of the Irishmen staring at me.

"We'll meet ya up at yer house, Dani. We're gonna fill in the boys in there what the plan is." Murphy explained, leaning against the wall.

"Alright, Danielle. Ya drive safely. We'll back in a couple o' hours." Connor stepped forward and planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

As he pulled away, I slowly took the step back toward the door. "Goodnight, guys."

"G'night, lass." They both in unison before briefly glancing at one another in confusion.

I left them behind, getting into my car and letting the outside world distort around me. Once I got home, I was definitely going to take some stuff to knock me out.

When I finally made it home, I slipped on the first pair of pajamas I got my hands on, a nightgown that went down to my knees, and went to turn on the TV. The first thing that appeared on the screen was a scene from one of my favorite films, _The Quiet Man_.

As I listened to the lovely voice of Maureen O'Hara singing at her piano, I went to the medicine cabinet and took out some Ibuprofen and Nyquil. After taking one pill of the latter and a drink of the former, I staggered to the couch and pulled the black afghan blanket over me.

I waited for the medicine to take effect, which they soon did. My eyelids drooped as the scene came up of John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara having their famous rain-soaked kiss in the cemetery. The following narration of the movie faded out as I fell in a calm darkness, wishing I could sing like the Irish heroine on my television screen…

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

Murphy and I rode back to Dani's house in Romeo's car after telling Dolly, Duffy and Greenly about our plan to execute Consezio Yakavetta. Now, we were on our way back from the bar to get some sleep.

Romeo stopped the car in front of the house, saying that he'd see us again tomorrow afternoon, and drove away into the suburban darkness.

"Murph, we gotta be quiet. Dani's probably passed out cold." I said to him as we walked up her driveway to the house.

"Are ya pissed that she didn't tell us about workin' with the FBI?" Murphy asked as he walked up the porch steps. I followed him as I answered.

"I was a lil' angry, but she's doin' what she can to help us. Hell, she's already givin' us her house to stay in. I find that too much as it is." I reached forward and opened the front door as quietly as I could. We both entered the house and saw the dark living room with the only source of light coming from the TV screen.

As I went to turn it off, I heard Murphy's voice whisper at me. "Connor, look."

I turned around toward where my brother was pointing. On the sofa lay the beautiful mother of my children. Her chocolate brown hair flowed down the pillow while her head was turned slightly in our direction. The soft sounds of her breathing with the occasional snore came out of her nostrils, her lips closed in an unconscious frown.

On the coffee table in front of the couch sat two medicine bottles, ones I recognized as Nyquil and Ibuprofen. I hoped she hadn't taken too much or else she'd be in a coma. Nevertheless, I knew this woman deserved a good period of rest.

"Well, looks like she's taken yer sleepin' spot, Conn. And with all that over-the-counter shit she took, I don't think she'll be wakin' up 'till tomorrow afternoon." Murphy chuckled and whispered at the same time, reaching down to move a stray piece of hair off her forehead.

"I won't blame her if she sleeps 'till then. She did shoot at a man who was tryin' to kill us just a few hours ago. But, I'm not gonna make her sleep on the couch in her own home." I walked to Danielle's side and gently lifted one of her arms and positioned it around my neck as I bent down toward her. Then I slowly slid my arms underneath her body and lifted her up, blanket and all. Her head rested naturally on my shoulder, though I doubted she'd be able to feel it.

"I can't believe ya just did that, man. It's fuckin' creepy. And she's gonna kill ya fer breakin' her rule about no men allowed in her room." Murphy shook his head as he turned off the TV.

"I'm not gonna do anything, Murph. I'm just gonna put her in bed and get the hell out. Fuckin' relax." I ignored his chortling as I walked down the dark hallway with Dani in my arms. I had forgotten how heavy of a sleeper she was.

Luckily, her bedroom door was cracked open, so I opened it wider with my foot and carried the sleeping woman into the room. Since it was so dark, all I could really see was a huge two-person bed and a personal bathroom for her use.

I laid her onto the correct side of the bed, making sure her head landed comfortably on the pillow. She hadn't made a peep since I picked her up off that couch.

When she woke up tomorrow, she'd understand that I was only trying to be a good guest and not take advantage of our lovely hostess. After adjusting the soft blanket to cover her body with its warmth, I turned away from her to leave…but not before leaning down and pressing my lips tenderly to hers in the quiet darkness.

That had been our third kiss since I had reunited with her three days ago…

"G'night, me love." I whispered, finally turning away from her slumbering form and exiting the room.

Back in the den, I saw Murphy leaning against the recliner, a smug smirk on his face. "God, Connor. She's gonna give ya a beatin' tomorrow when she wakes up."

"No, she won't." I folded my arms and leaned against the wall by the TV stand. "I think we're actually makin' some progress. Think about it, Murph. She wouldn't be workin' with the police of she still didn't give a shit about us."

"I know that. I've known fer six years that she still cared about us." He looked down at the floor in shame. "In fact, Conn…I brought the letters we wrote each other, 'cause I knew it'd all blow up in me face sooner or later."

"Ya…ya have her letters she wrote?" I asked, feeling my hands shake.

"Aye, got 'em right here in me bag. Ya wanna take a peek at 'em or not?" He bent down and unzipped his duffel bag on the carpet.

"Ya think?" I nearly ran to the couch and plopped down onto it in excitement. "But, maybe we should wait 'til Dani wakes up. She's wanna share these with us, too." I removed my pea-coat and holster before taking my gray shirt off to get more comfortable on the sofa.

"Alright, Conn. We oughta get some shut-eye anyway. I'm sure ya wanna look yer best tomorrow fer yer sweet Sleepin' Beauty." Murphy laughed as he positioned himself on the recliner, using his own pea-coat as a pillow.

We actually didn't get much sleep that night as we ended up wrestling on the carpet as Murphy mocked my chivalrous act of carrying Danielle to bed. What's an Irishman in love to do…?

**AN: I know, this chapter was dull, boring and mediocre. But, I swear, it'll get better as the story goes along. Also, the foreign phrase Connor says is Italian for "You're beautiful in every way." Please review! **


	10. The Parting Glass

_Dani's POV:_

My heavy eyelids opened to a different room than I had expected to wake up in. I groaned, lifting my upper body to lean on the soft pillow…of my bed. From the muted light outside my window, I could see that I was in my bedroom, not the den where I fell asleep last night. The afghan blanket lay on my naked legs, covering them with its warmth.

How had I gotten in here? I couldn't have been sleepwalking since I took all that medicine last night before drifting off into empty unconsciousness. Basically, I didn't have any dreams that would have caused me to sleepwalk.

I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to awaken my senses. Not caring that I was just in a nightgown, I slipped out of bed and walked to the cracked open bedroom door, listening for the boys' voices. As I waited, I remembered that I would have to pick up the girls after school today at 3:30. Looking over to the clock on my nightstand, I saw the crimson numbers read 9:30 in the morning.

The girls would be on their way to school with Katy and her parents.

Then, the Irish lilts of the boys' voices traveled through my ears, causing me to be more alert. After I opened the door as wide as it would go, I reached over to my coat-rack and dressed in my purple robe to keep me warm. Letting my tangled hair hang limply down my back, I walked down the hall and balanced myself against one of the walls, not wanting to reveal myself just yet.

I peeked around the corner into the living room, staying quiet as I absorbed what I was seeing. Connor had his bare back to me, concentrating on the assembly of a tool from his duffel bag. What actually had me surprised was the sight of Christ on the Cross, engraved in permanent black ink along the Irishman's powerful back muscles. In fact, it was the first time I noticed how the amount of musculature in both of the boys had increased from all that farm work in their homeland.

Connor still didn't see me staring at him like a stupid bimbo as his head slightly turned in intense focus on the weapon in his hand. From what I could still see of his profile, he still bore the Virgin Mary tattoo on his neck and the Latin word _Veritas_ along the index finger of his left hand. I took a deep breath as I stayed hidden in the shadows of the hallway, trying to keep the fast pounding of my heart to a minimum.

Then, I felt a hand gently touch my shoulder. "Ya can take a picture, if ya want."

I turned around in shock, feeling relieved when I saw Murphy's blue eyes light up with humor at my reaction. Leaning against the wall, I saw him reach over to a nearby light switch and turn on the hallway light. "Jesus, Murphy! You scared the living hell out of me!"

Connor's twin smiled brightly at me as I frowned at him. "Sorry, just wanted to see if you were still awake. Me brother was worried ya went into a fuckin' coma."

"I'm sorry. I…I didn't think I'd sleep so late. I was just exhausted after last night." I rubbed some sleep out of my eyes as I felt Murphy's hand on my back.

"Ya got nothin' to be sorry for, Dani. Ya deserve to rest after savin' our asses at The Silver Peso. You've been sharpenin' yer shootin' skills, haven't ya?" He leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door, which he had apparently just exited from when he scared me.

"Murphy, would you happen to know how the hell I got into my room last night? Because I remember falling asleep on the couch." I crossed my arms and stared at him, trying to be intimidating.

His eyes briefly widened as his lips pulled up into a smirk. "Hey, Conn." He called out to his brother, who turned his head toward us both as we emerged from the darkened hallway. "Dani wants to know which one of us broke her rule by steppin' foot inside her chambers."

"I hope you're not implyin' somethin' by that, Murph." Connor stood before us, now wearing a dark gray shirt, and focused on me and his twin. "What's goin' on here?"

"Connor, did you move me from the couch to my room last night?" I walked closer to him, stopping when I was merely a foot away from his tall form.

"Maybe. I was only tryin' to be a gentleman and take ya to a more comfortable sleepin' spot." He took a step closer to me and brushed a lock of my hair off my shoulder. "I was only tryin' to take care o' ya, lass. You're doin' enough by lettin' us stay here and allowin' me near the girls."

I could only nod in response, not finding any appropriate words. Instead, Murphy spoke up from behind us. "Dani, we saved ya some eggs in the fridge. They're fried, but me brother makes 'em extra good."

"Oh, no! You guys aren't supposed to be the ones cooking in my house! What kind of hostess does that make me? What…what?" I babbled on until Connor took hold of my bandaged hand.

"Don't worry about it, Danielle. Ya deserved yer rest." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Jesus, Connor. If Ma could see ya right now, she'd be in tears." Murphy laughed as he went toward the kitchen. "She'd be so happy to see ya fawnin' over a lovely girl like Dani."

Connor only grunted in answer. "I see those bags under yer eyes are goin' away." He reached toward my face and tenderly traced the tip of his index finger under my eye.

I smiled briefly, closing my eyes in thought. "That reminds me. What was that you said back at McGinty's? Was that Italian?"

"Aye. I was tellin' ya that you're beautiful in every way, no matter what. All those fake magazine models…they don't compare in any way to yer angelic purity, darlin'." He purred in his deep voice, his fingertips caressing the bottom of my chin.

"Hey, I'm gonna eat all this food unless ya two lovebirds get yer asses in here an' join me." Murphy poked his head into the living room from the kitchen.

"Alright, Murphy. You better let me have some eggs or else, you get your nose on the wall for 15 minutes." I walked toward the Irishman I was acknowledging, taking the container of eggs out of his hands.

"What kinda fuckin' punishment is that?" He asked as Connor leaned against the kitchen side of the counter.

"It's the kind of punishment where you stare at the wall where its right in your face and you can't move a muscle until I say so." I put the container into the microwave and set the time for one minute.

"That's just cruel, Dani." Connor pulled himself up to sit on the counter.

The following half hour went by so fast I could hardly process it. We looked through the letters Murphy had received from me. They detailed everything about the girls from their first words, to their first birthday, to the first time they had asked about which one of them was the oldest by two minutes.

"Shit." Connor shook his head in disbelief and smiled widely. "Ya won't tell 'em which one came out first?"

"Nope…not yet anyway. Maybe when they're older." I unconsciously looked at the dining room clock. It was now about 10:15. The girls had to be in school by now. As I thought about that, I couldn't ignore the sudden sick feeling in my stomach. "I think I better get around and get dressed, guys."

I could feel the boys' eyes on me, filled with both worry and suspicion. I could almost hear the questions filing up in their minds. Wrapping my robe tightly around me, I went to my bedroom and grabbed the phone on my nightstand. Dialing the number of Katy's parents, Anna and Gerry, I waited anxiously on the edge of my bed for them to pick up. After getting nearly a full minute of just the ringtone, their answering machine picked up.

After leaving them a message to call me and tell me how the girls' night went, I hung up the phone and blew a puff of air through my lips. They were probably just out running errands. No need to get all flustered…

As I pulled myself together, I heard the sound of knocking on my door. "Dani, its Connor. Can ya open up?"

"Yeah, sure." I went to the door and opened it to see him standing in front of me.

"Are ya alright? I just wanted to let ya know that we're goin' with Rome to get ready fer our hit on Yakavetta tomorrow night." His eyes were deep with concern.

"Okay, go do what you need to do. Katy's parents didn't answer their phone, so I'm sure they'll call me back when they get a chance." I smiled with effort, trying to hide my worry.

"I'm sure the girls are safe an' sound. We'll be back later to see 'em, okay?" He gently placed his warm hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, everything will be fine. You guys go on if you have stuff to do. I understand." I tried to keep my smile genuine as he leaned down and kissed my cheek.

"I'll see ya tonight, Danielle." I could only nod and wave as he said farewell to me. My legs shook, causing my knees to buckle. The last I saw of him was his shadow as he walked away from me.

_Why does something feel wrong right now? If there's something going on, I need to find out soon…_

_._

_._

_Connor's POV:_

"I expanded my operation since I saw ya last. Word got out who may or may not have outfitted ya. Turns out, you've got quite the underground followin'." Our fellow Irish gun dealer, Ian, informed us as we explored the weaponry room around us. Murphy and I kept our focus on the wall of impressive armory before Ian interrupted us. "Please, gentlemen. Preferred customers select from my private reserve. If I may make a suggestion?"

With that, he pulled out two black cases and placed them onto the table in front of him. My brother and I stood on the other side of the table to get a closer look. We glanced at one another quizzically before opening the cases.

My mouth nearly dropped open at the sight of what was hidden in the case. Real Desert Eagles…

"I feel like that kid who found the golden ticket in that movie, _Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory_." Murphy whispered in astonishment, ogling his own set of Eagles.

"Charlie?" Ian asked him hypothetically to correct my brother.

"Yeah, Charlie. And I want an Oompa-Loompa now. Daddy, now!" I nearly sighed as I quoted that brat Veruca Salt, feeling proud at being the movie buff of the MacManus family.

Murphy held up one gun each in his hands to test their weight as I did the same. I could certainly protect my little family of women with these bad boys…

Romeo finally came over to join us, setting his own case of weapons onto the table. "I'll take these."

"Have ya been cryin' again?" Murphy asked the Mexican, eyeing him with scrutiny.

"Yeah! Tears of joy." Rome defended himself fiercely as I held back my laughter. "Those are queer." He referred to our beloved Desert Eagles before turning his attention to Ian. "How much?"

"No, no. You boys are on the house." The gun dealer assured us quickly.

"Obliged." I thanked him, thinking of what else I could spend our money on while we were here on Boston…perhaps on something special for my Dani…

"Well, let's see." Murphy urged Rome, wanting to see what choice of weapon he had in mind.

The Mexican opened his case and revealed two smaller guns with skinny barrels bearing the respective colors of the Irish flag: Red, white and green. "What?" He asked us both as we held back our quips of ridicule.

"Nothin'." I attempted to shrug it off, but couldn't stop the smirk from forming.

"What, are you saying I look gay?" Romeo's eyes bulged with accusation.

"No, ya just hail from a colorful people." Murphy raised his arms in a mocking fashion as Romeo turned to Ian.

"Hey, you don't know me. Do these make me look gay?" He held up both of the guns in his hands and stood still in a cheesy pose.

"You look like you might've seen one up close." Ian answered bluntly, making Murphy and I double over in laughter.

.

.

_Dani's POV:_

I wrapped my wet form in a towel as I stepped out of the shower, feeling slightly relaxed now that I was cleaned up from all the excitement last night. With my long hair drying inside another towel on my head, I went to my drawers to pick out my clothes to wear. After I slid into a bra and panties, I was slipping on some jeans when I heard the phone ring.

Anxiously, I grabbed it off my nightstand and answered it, my heart flying with anticipation. "Hello?"

"Hello, this is Dr. Ben Coughlin from Mass General. May I speak with Miss Danielle Smecker?" The male voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Yes…this is she." I tried to keep the nervous stutter out of my voice. Why would the hospital be calling me…?

"Ma'am, I'm afraid we have some rather upsetting news. We need to you come to Mass General right away. Your daughters have been involved in a car accident this morning." I didn't hear anything else from the monotonous voice from the phone as it slipped out of my grasp, dropping onto my bedroom carpet.

Struggling to hold back my approaching screams, I ran to my bathroom sink and leaned over it, attempting to catch my breath.

_Don't panic…Don't pass out… Its not gonna help anything._

Then, I remembered the weight of the cell phone in my pocket. As the nausea and dizziness threatened my equilibrium, I knew I was in no condition to drive. I'd call a friend instead…

Pulling my beautiful cell phone into my hand, I speed-dialed the one person who'd be available to help me right now. Silently praying to God that she'd answer, she did right on the second ring. "Howdy, Danielle."

"Eunice, I need you to come and take me to Mass General! Please, the girls were in a car accident this morning. I don't know any details; only that I'm too scared to drive right now!" I struggled to keep the tears out of my voice.

"Okay, okay, honey. I'm on my way right now. Just stay where you are." She instructed me in a calm tone. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

I hung up without responding, sinking down to lean against the cold porcelain surface of the toilet. I felt like I was falling and all the terrible memories came flooding back into my subconscious. Fighting the urge to faint, my body replaced that instinct with sickness as I bent over the toilet and emptied out all the contents of my stomach.

What would Connor and Murphy say if they saw me like this? I knew I'd have to tell them about this sooner or later…

After I finished over the toilet, I laid my head down against the cold tile of the bathroom floor, feeling hollow and useless, sweat pouring down my temples. Then, relief flooded through me as I heard Eunice's southern accent blur in my ears and the click of her high-heels…

She managed to help me up off the floor and slip a jacket from my coat-rack around my upper body so I'd be decently dressed. But, that didn't matter to me right then.

All I cared about was getting back to my children. Fury mixed with the fear inside me as Eunice sped down my neighborhood in her car. Silently crying to myself, I wondered if any criminals were familiar with nature shows on TV. Even more so, I was curious if any of them were aware of what a lioness in the wild would do to protect her cubs…

_**AN: I **__**know, its kind of a dark twist in the chapter, but I hope you don't mind it. **__**And guys, if you plan to add this story to your Favorites or Alerts, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! Its really a letdown to only get an Alert or Fave Story e-mail without knowing what that person honestly thinks. Really it only takes a minute to write something in that box.**_

_**And, I will be starting school next week, so my updates will be less frequent. Nevertheless, I hope you guys are enjoying this anyway. **_


	11. Falling Slowly

_Dani's POV:_

"Law enforcement has classified the Italian immigrant Ottilio Panza as its prime suspect in the murder of the beloved local cleric. An all-points bulletin has been issued, and it appears, at least for the time being, the Saints have been cleared as suspects in the priest's killing." The voice from Eunice's car radio informed me as we sped down the crowded city streets to Mass General.

"Honey, you're clawing your fingernails into the seat." Her brisk tone brought me back to reality as my breathing began to slow down.

I wasn't wearing a seat belt and my wet hair was a tangled mess, but I didn't give a shit about my appearance. All that mattered to me right now was the news I had just heard on the radio and getting back to my children. "I'm sorry, Eunice. Everything just seems to be happening at once, that's all."

"We're almost there. I'll go in with you if that'll make you feel better." She pulled into the entrance of the hospital grounds.

"Okay…okay." The broken whisper struggled out of my lips and the car stopped in front of the entryway doors. I flung the passenger door open and ran to the spinning double doors, ignoring the stares of puzzled passersby. Eunice's voice sounded in the distance behind me as I felt her grab ahold of my wrist and run next to me.

I was surrounded by white walls that made my eyes hurt as I burst through the doors and went right to the front desk. A young secretary looked up at me with her black-rimmed glasses and took in my frazzled appearance. "May I help you, miss?"

"My…my daughters, Isabella and Delilah Smecker were checked in here. Dr. Coughlin called me and said to come here right away." I leaned on the desk in front of me, catching my breath.

"Yes, yes of course, Ms. Smecker. I'll have one of our nurses take you to them right away." She stood up and gestured to a nurse in a blue uniform and a stethoscope around her neck.

"Just follow me, ma'am. They're being kept in the children's ward for now." The nurse, whose nametag read 'Kelly', took notice of the FBI Agent who stood at my side and allowed us to follow her through the hallways.

"My kids were on their way to school with Katy, a friend of theirs from a sleepover. Is she okay?" I asked the nurse, trying to keep the quiver out of my voice.

"Yes, both she and her mother are fine. Just a few cuts and bruises. But the father suffered the most impact from the wreck. He was hit head-on and killed instantly. We sent his wife and daughter home about half an hour ago after we contacted you, Ms. Smecker." My head swirled with all this overwhelming information as my heart broke for Katy and her mother.

After going up a couple of elevators and Eunice keeping me from jumping up and down in impatience, we made to the pediatric ward. All around, children were playing with board games and toys. I scanned the room for my kids and I found them, sitting on the floor by a large stuffed lion. Izzy laid her head against the lion's huge stomach while Dee lay across its back, her tiny arms wrapped around its neck.

"Girls!" I freed myself of Eunice's grip and ran to my daughters. Their heads lifted up at the sound of my voice and they immediately scrambled off the huge stuffed animal.

"Mommy!" Delilah beat Isabella in the race to me as I knelt down by the floor and felt them clutch onto me. Izzy whimpered into my shoulder and Dee began to cry.

"Mama!" Dee's voice collapsed into a verbal mess of sobs as I enfolded my arm tightly around her.

"Shh…its okay. Mommy's here. Mommy's here." I repeated to both of them. My children had tears running down their cheeks.

"I got an ouchy, Mama." Dee held up her wrist to show it wrapped in secure bandages, much like the ones for my wounded hand. I lifted it to my hand and softly kissed it.

"Its alright, honey. We're gonna go home and see Daddy and Uncle Muffy, okay?" I asked them as they managed to smile despite their tears.

"O…okay. I miss Daddy and Muffy, too." Izzy wiped away her tears and enfolded her arms around her twin sister, attempting to comfort her. Dee laid her head on her sister's shoulder as Izzy patted her back with her small hand. My heart couldn't help but swell with joy at the sight of sibling love.

"Well, girls, now that your mother's here, you can go home. It's all over." Nurse Kelly informed us all as Eunice went to Izzy and picked her up.

"Hi, honey. You remember me?" The redhead cop crooned to the little girl.

"Aunt Euny." Isabella smiled and laid into her embrace. I lifted up Delilah and led the way out of the godforsaken hospital, itching to get home and explain to the boys what had just happened.

.

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

"C'mon, Dani. Answer yer phone." I nearly growled into my burner cell.

We all sat in Romeo's car outside as it pulled into Dani's neighborhood. I was calling Dani to let her know that we received all the weapons needed for tomorrow night's mission.

"Relax, Conn. She's probably out shoppin' or some other kinda shit women do in their free time." Murphy turned around in the passenger seat to grin at me. "Quit worryin' so much, brother. Besides, weapons aren't the only things we've obtained durin' our errand run."

Murphy glanced down at the bags that sat next to me in the backseat. Inside them lay a bouquet of Water Avens and Irish Eyebrights for Danielle as well as some new stuffed animals for Isabella and Delilah. "Don't fuck wit' me today, Murph." I rubbed my forehead to decrease the annoying headache coming on.

At last, we pulled up to her house and saw her car in the driveway. "Alright, guys. Guess I'll see you tomorrow night. I wish you luck for tonight, Connor." Rome gave me a sly smile as Murph and I got out of the car.

"Okay, Rome. We'll see ya." Murph bid our friend farewell as I pulled the bouquet of flowers out of the bag, taking a deep breath to calm my nerves.

We walked up to the door and was surprised to find that it was unlocked. Inside the living room were Dani, Izzy and Dee, all huddled up on the couch just holding one another. Murphy held the bags of stuffed animals in his arms as we stared at each other, confused.

"Hi, guys. I…I didn't think you'd be home until later." Dani spoke up from the couch, holding Dee in her lap.

"Dani, I thought the girls were in school. What happened?" I asked her as Izzy climbed off the couch and walked up to me, a tear streaming down her cheek.

"We were in a car wreck, Daddy. It was so scary." She held up her arms up toward me, gesturing the need for me to pick her up.

I did just that, bending down and lifting her up easily. Noticing the scar across my daughter's cheek, I couldn't stop the anger from flooding my heart. "There, there, wee one. Da's got ya now." Gently pressing my lips to her injured cheek, I walked over to the recliner and sat down, cradling Izzy in my lap. She clutched her tiny fingers onto my peacoat, not daring to let go.

"Uncle Muffy. Will you hold me?" Delilah spoke in her small voice, making my brother's eyes go soft. The little girl wriggled out of her mother's lap and went to her uncle, sticking her thumb in her mouth.

"O' course, _mon petit ange._" Murphy smiled at Dee and gently scooped her up to hold her close. Before sitting down next to Dani on the couch, he spoke to his niece again. "Yer da and I gotcha a surprise. Maybe that'll cheer ya up, huh?"

Delilah only nodded as Murphy bent down while still holding her with one arm, picking up the bag of stuffed animals. He sat down and placed them in between him and Dani as he sat on the couch next to her. Izzy lifted her head up to see what we had brought them. Her eyes landed on the bouquet of flowers laying on the armrest of the recliner. "Are those for Mommy?" She asked curiously.

"Aye, they're fer yer lovely ma, indeed." I glanced over at Dani, who had risen out of her seat on the couch. A small smile lit up her face as she gathered the flowers into her hands.

"He picked 'em out all by 'imself, too." Murphy gently mocked me, holding Delilah protectively in his arms. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw him kiss little Dee on the forehead.

"Thank you, Connor. These are beautiful." Dani sat down slightly of the armrest, making the recliner creak.

"Yay! I got a horsey!" Dee cried out in excitement as Murphy smiled at her apparent joy. In the little girl's arms was a black horse with a flowing mane and tail, much like the ones used on our sheep farm in Ireland.

"What'd I get, Uncle Muffy?" Izzy's face brightened up instantly as she scrambled out of my lap to see the animal Murphy had gotten for her. He pulled a small lion with a golden mane and gentle face out of the bag, making Isabella squeal in delight.

"Thank you, Uncle Muffy!" She ran up and grabbed the animal in her arms, smothering it with hugs. "Its so FLUFFY! Its so fluffy, I wanna die!"

"Actually, yer Da picked 'em out fer ya. Don't look at me." Murphy turned and winked at me and Dani.

"Thanks, Daddy!" Both girls yelled out at the same time, smiling widely.

.

.

.

Later, after the girls were settled down for a nap, Dani sat us both down on the living room and gave us the details she knew about the accident. "The doctors told me that someone ran a red light just a couple streets away from the girls' school and hit the driver's side head on. The police are still looking for the man that smashed into their car, but they can't find him. If they do, he'll be triple charged with hit-and-run, manslaughter and child endangerment. Katy's father died from impact instantly. The girls only had a few minor cuts and bruises, thank God."

"As long as the police say someone wasn't tryin' to hurt the girls intentionally." I clenched my fists in frustration while Murphy eyed his new Desert Eagles with sudden interest.

"No, I'm sure it was just a stupid accident. Wrong place, wrong time. The guy just got freaked out and kept driving." She sighed out, clearly exhausted.

"Ya know what you all need, Dani? Ya need a nice home-cooked meal, only you're the one that doesn't have to make it." I suggested, crossing my arms.

Dani only stared at both of us, me sitting next to her on the couch and Murph perched on the recliner.

"What me brother's sayin' is that he wants us to have a night where we can all try to be a family. Its not fair that you had to raise the girls by yerself without us to see 'em grow. Also, it can be counted as yer first official date with Connor." Murphy grinned at me as I glared at him.

"Fuck ye, Murph. I wanted to ask 'er meself." My brother shrugged at me. "Then let me, ye bastard." I heard Dani groan at our bickering.

"Danielle, me brother has somethin' he wants to ask ye." Murphy encouraged, inviting me to speak.

"Dani, I was wonderin' if ye'd like to have dinner with me tonight with our lovely daughters." I made sure the confidence presented itself in my voice.

She smiled at me, shaking her head in humored disbelief. "Yes, Connor. It's a date."

Before I knew it, placed my hand on her cheek and pressed my lips to hers in a kiss of gratitude and pure love. "_Merci_, Danielle."

.

.

That night was one of the best times I'd ever had in my life. Murphy and I made spaghetti for the womenfolk with the help of Dani's special recipe. When dinner came, Izzy had a bit of trouble twirling the noodles onto her fork. I was more than happy to help her without allowing her shirt to get messy with tomato sauce.

After the meal was cleaned up, we all sat around the TV and watched _The Lion King_, one of the girls' favorites and mine, too. Delilah constantly compared her mother and me to the main lions, Simba and Nala, especially when the lioness would get the upper hand when it came to arguing and playing around.

"Aye, yer mother has had the main power over me since she came into our lives, girls." I smiled at Dani as I said that, making her roll her eyes and return her attention to the film. Eventually, the girls fell asleep by the time the credits rolled, which resulted in Murph and me carrying the girls to bed.

As I told Dani of our plan at the Prudential, I couldn't ignore the worry in her eyes as I held the scared woman in my arms, trying to comfort her. "We'll be fine, me love. Don't fret. Just pray tonight, and God will watch over us while we're away from ya."

"You…you just come back to us safely, you hear me?" She held my face in between her hands. "I'll pray as hard as I can for you, but I can only do so much as a person. Just come back to us. Do it for me and do it for your children." She enfolded her arms around my neck as I held her close, breathing in the scent of her hair and feeling the warmth of her body.

"I promise, Danielle Kristina Smecker. I won't fail ya, darlin'." I kissed the top of her head as I held her tighter to me, wanting to keep her in my arms for the rest of the night.

.

.

.

**THE NEXT NIGHT**

We were all inside the elevator leading up the inside level of the Prudential building. Romeo, along with my brother and I, assembled our weapons together in preparation. After a few minutes, I noticed Murphy glaring with hard eyes at Rome.

"What?" My brother asked him curtly.

"Nothing." The Mexican insisted, his eyelids slightly drooping.

"What the hell's the matter with ya?" I interrogated him in frustration.

"Nothing! It…its just…this is some heavy shit, that's all. I'm just having a period of adjustment." Romeo explained in a fibbing tone.

"You're about to have a period o' getting' yer ass beat!" Murphy threatened, clenching his fist in Rome's face.

The elevator beeped, signaling that it was Rome's turn to exit and get to his position. "This is you. Fuckin' be on time." I ordered him in a solemn voice to show that I wasn't playing around.

Romeo exited the elevator when the doors opened as I pressed the end of one of my guns to my wrist, tapping it in the Mexican's direction to emphasize the importance of him being punctual by the second.

Then, the doors closed again and the elevator continued to move upwards. "Ya ready fer this shit, my dear brother?"

Murphy cocked back his Desert Eagle in silent response before cracking his neck. "Let's do some gratuitous violence."

A small smile lit up my face as I momentarily reached into my jeans pocket and felt the tiny velvet box sit securely inside. My good luck charm for now and hopefully, later tonight when I planned to show it…

_**AN: Can anyone guess what's inside the velvet box? I know, this chapter was terrible, but this was what I could come with in the midst of school starting back up. Anyway, this is all for you guys. And…PLEASE REVIEW! That's all I ask and its not much. Reviews are the best gifts to receive when it comes to writing these stories.**_

_**And, the bouquet Connor gives to Dani are native flowers that grow Ireland, so who's to say he wouldn't wanna present her with a gift from his homeland... :)  
><strong>_


	12. Wild Horses

_Connor's POV:_

"It's creative! It happened to be a creative plan!" I yelled at my brother as we stood with Greenly and Duffy on the mechanical platform slowly lowering us down the outside of the Prudential building toward the fortieth floor.

"Fuckin' ridiculous! Probably based on some stupid shit ya saw in a movie. And here I am _again_, all tyin' myself up with fuckin' rope! What is the deal with you and the fuckin' rope? Honestly?" Murphy interrogated as we waved a bundled up coil of the rope in my face.

"It happened to be a very useful thing, so shut it!" I demanded, annoyance at my twin boiling inside me.

"You didn't get this from a movie, did you?" Duffy asked me with a worried tone. Murphy raised his eyebrows in a silent command for me to come clean.

Keeping one of my hands in my pocket, touching the lucky velvet box for reassurance, I finally admitted the truth. "_The Eiger Sanction_ with Clint Eastwood. It worked like a charm fer him!"

Greenly and Duffy cussed and groaned at my response while Murphy pointed at me accusingly. "I fuckin' knew!"

Before I could retort back to him, the platform below our feet groaned along with a beeping sound coming from the controls. After it shook violently for a few seconds, it stopped moving entirely.

"What the fuck did ye do?" I turned in Greenly's direction, glaring at him.

"I don't know. It just stopped." The detective threw his hands up in surrender and defeat.

"Well, fuckin' get it goin' again!" Murphy yelled, aggravated at the situation.

"It won't come on! It just died!" Greenly shouted at both of us as he began messing around with the controls to get the platform reactivated. "Come on, you piece of shit!"

Murphy and I looked over the railing, down the long falling distance to the busy streets below us. "How much time? How much fuckin' time?!" I yelled to the detectives, desperate to know when we needed to get into Yakavetta's main room. Romeo's life depended on it.

"Sixty seconds." Duffy concluded, staring at a timer he pulled out of his pocket.

"No, we need to go right now!" Murphy argued, pointing both of his fingers in emphasis down to the long ways down below us.

"If we're even a few seconds late, Romeo's dead." I told them worriedly. We needed to improvise now… "Alright, we've got about thirteen floors."

"Eleven more. Ballpark it!" Murphy suggested, gathering up my black rope in his hands.

"That's about fifteen feet per floor. We need…one-sixty-five. Count it up in fives!" I started sending the end of my portion of rope hang over the edge of the platform, gesturing for Murphy to follow my lead. "Five, ten, fifteen…"

"This is retarded!" Greenly complained behind me.

"Fuckin' _Eiger Sanction_." Murphy growled at me as he sent his rope down the edge.

"Shut it and concentrate!" I ordered, letting my alpha male leader instincts take over. "Twenty-five…"

"You guys can't do this! Are you fuckin' crazy?" Greenly asked us, leaning on the controls of the platform.

"Time!" Murphy shouted as we positioned ourselves at the edge, preparing to jump.

"Jesus Christ! Seven seconds!" Duffy warned us. My brother and I locked eyes with each other and nodded, assuring one another that we'd make it through this alive. "Six…five…four…three…two…ONE!"

I took a deep breath and let my fingers lose their grip on the precious velvet box that lay securely in my pocket. _I'll make it back to ya soon, Danielle…_

With one final burst of internal faith, my brother and I braced ourselves and jumped…

.

.

.

_Dani's POV:_

It had now been three hours since Connor and Murphy left my house for the Prudential Building. Since I was unable to do much except pray for their safety, I kept the pleading words in my heart from the second they walked out my front door.

To me, it seemed that Connor and Murphy were out there for the hundredth time, risking their lives to kill evil men. My kids had just been through a car accident and I had just been informed about it through the hospital. If I had learned one thing from that horrible experience, it was that I wasn't going to take another day for granted again.

Now, I sat on my couch with the girls asleep on each side of me, watching the evening news tell of the crime scene on the fortieth floor of the Prudential. Apparently, the boys were successful and I was grateful for them to be able to make it back to the girls.

As I felt Delilah stir beside me, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. Expecting to see the number of Connor's burner cell on the small screen, I was surprised and relieved to see Eunice's name instead. I answered immediately.

"Hello?" I asked in a soft voice, trying to keep quiet.

"Hey, Dani. Is this a bad time?" Her southern accent flowed through the speaker of my phone.

"No, what's up?" I sat up slowly, listening intently.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm on my way over. There's something about Ottilio Panza that I think you need to know." A worried tone crept into her usually confident voice.

"Yeah…yeah. You're always welcome over." I answered, feeling that sick sensation of fear as I put my free arm around Delilah's sleeping form.

Eunice arrived at the house around twenty minutes later. When I opened the front door for her, she seemed frazzled, in some kind of baffled state I'd never seen her in before. The girls lay dead asleep on the couch, so we had to keep our voices to a whisper.

"Are you okay, Eunice? Did something go bad with the investigation?" I asked her, leading her into the dining room to make her some coffee.

"No, sweetie. The actual investigation went just dandy. But that bastard, Agent John Kuntsler, relieved me of all obligations to it." She took off her light brown pea-coat and set it onto one of the kitchen chairs at the dining table. "Didn't stop me from figuring it out, anyway. Those boys were successful, you can be damn sure of that." She smiled, her brown eyes twinkling with pride, before dimming out as if she remembered something else. "The strange thing is that one goon named Jimmy Green who survived the shoot-out told me of someone else involved, only it was Yakavetta who was working for _him_. Green called him the Old Man, or the Roman. I know it sounds weird, but it feels like our mystery ghost to me."

"So, you think Panza was working for this Roman guy the whole time?" I asked, trying to keep the shivers from going up my spine.

"Its possible, Dani, but I don't think its anything for you to be worrying about. The Saints have been cleared now."

"Well, what's the plan? Because Connor and Murphy aren't going anywhere until either the cops get Panza, or they do." I folded my arms across my chest in stress.

"There's nothing I can really do for the case, now that Kuntsler's kicked me off. But, trust me, Dani. You shouldn't trouble yourself with this. Neither me, the Saints, or Smecker's trio of detectives are gonna let anything happen to you or the girls." She placed her hand on my shoulder in a comforting sign. I mentally pushed my worried thoughts away and came up with a retort for Kunstler's actions towards my friend.

"Yeah, if I had been there, Eunice, I would've put Kuntsler in his place. Why would he suspend you? You're one of the most brilliant people I know."

"I don't know why, honey. Maybe he's jealous, or just plain chauvinistic. He doesn't think a woman should be so smart to comprehend all this complicated FBI crap."

"Well…all I can say is…fuck him. He doesn't know what the hell he's doing." I walked back into the room, expecting to see Eunice following me. When I turned around, I saw her staring at the vase of flowers at the center of the table.

"Well, I'll be damned. These are lovely, Dani. Where did these come from?" She gestured over to the centerpiece as she followed my lead into the living room.

"Umm…I'll just say that Connor and I have been making progress since he and Murphy have been staying here." I sat on the recliner while Eunice sat herself down gently on the couch next to my sleeping daughters.

"So…have you two…you know…" She trailed off at the end of her half-question.

"No, we've been very careful about that, especially with the girls around. In fact, Connor isn't even allowed in my room. He only went in once and was to carry me to bed when I passed out cold on the couch the other night. Connor hasn't asked for anything physical from me. He only wants to show how much he cares for me and the girls."

"I reckon he and Murphy adore these two angels." Eunice reached down and brushed a piece of light-brown hair off of Isabella's forehead.

I smiled, thinking about my obvious answer when my cell phone began vibrating. Reaching into my pocket, I answered eagerly when I recognized Connor's number. "Hello?"

"Dani…hey, is this a bad time, love?" His deep voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"No, are you guys okay?" I tried to keep the growing anxiety out of my response.

"Yeah, we're all fine, darlin'. I…I was wondrin' if ya could bring the girls over to Doc's in a bit. It's fer somethin' special." I could practically hear the smile growing on his face as he kept me wondering about what was going on.

"Okay, I'll be over there soon." I hung up after he said goodbye and promised that it was all over and Yakavetta was dead.

I gently woke up the girls and told them that their father had a surprise for us waiting and Grandpa Doc's. Eunice left shortly after, saying she needed to catch up on some updates on the Panza case at the precinct. They were nearly jumping up and down with excitement as we drove down the streets of Boston to witness what the Saints had planned for us.

.

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

About half an hour after I had called Dani, asking her to meet us at Doc's, she arrived with our daughters, her adorable Red Sox cap perched on her head. The girls immediately ran from their mother and right into mine and my brother's arms.

"Daddy!" Delilah smiled with a grin very much like Dani as I lifted her up to hold her close. "I missed you." She laid her head onto my shoulder as I sat down on a nearby barstool.

"Aye, we missed you girls, as well." Murphy held Izzy up and planted a raspberry kiss on her cheek. The little girl squealed and giggled.

"Uncle Muffy, that tickles!" She cried out in happiness as her uncle sat down on another barstool next to me.

"Oh, lass, ya haven't even seen me begin to tickle ya." Murphy growled playfully as he rose up his hand toward his niece and attacked her stomach with his curled fingers.

"Ahhh! Daddy, save me!" She was laughing so hard she could barely get her words out.

As she continued her laughter, Delilah slid down from my lap and went to unzip the backpack she had brought with her. From my peripheral vision, I saw Dani smile at me and head for the ladies bathroom.

"Daddy, did you know that Izzy's favorite toy is her jumpy wope?" She pulled out a long, purple jump-rope toy from the bag and held it up to show me.

"Dee, that's _my_ toy!" Izzy scrambled out of Murphy's arms and leaped down to the ground, her blue eyes alight with disapproval. "You don't even like my wope!"

"I was showing it to Daddy, Izzy." Dee tried to defend herself, planting her feet on the ground. "Why do you like the dumb wope, anywho?"

Murphy and I turned to stare at one another in astonishment.

"'Cause I like it! Now give it back!" Izzy marched up to her sister and pulled at one end of the rope, trying to wring it out of her sister's grasp.

"Girls, now, now. Ya don't wanna upset yer ma before I give 'er me special surprise, would ya?" My tone of voice was gentle, but held some air of fatherly sternness, which felt completely new to me.

"No, we don't." They both answered at the same time, loosening their grips on the rope.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the back velvet box. The girls dropped the rope to the floor and walked to me eagerly to see what I held in my hand. Their eyes widened in curiosity as I lifted up the lid and revealed the ring I picked out for their stunningly gorgeous mother. It was surely small enough to fit around her slender finger, with tiny pieces of green emeralds embedded in the center.

"I'm gonna ask yer ma to marry me." I smiled at my daughters as they grinned back at me in delight.

"Yay!" They both cheered, grabbing one another's hands and hopping around in a circle excitedly.

Murphy whistled in congratulations while Doc smiled quietly from his seat across from the bar, wiping some glasses with a cloth. The girls continued rejoicing when I noticed Doc starting to turn his head away and opened his mouth to release his two favorite involuntary words. My brother and I leaped down from our bar-stools and planted our hands over the girls' ears just in time before they could hear.

"FUCK! ASS!" He yelled out as we held our hands firmly over the girls' innocent ears. We all had a good laugh then, not even aware of the hell that was about to break loose around us.

_**AN: I know, this chapter is disappointing, but the action is about to start really soon. Please review, if you can. Also, does anyone have any actresses in mind who'd be able to portray Dani…?**_


	13. Lion

_Dani's POV:_

I stood in front of the mirror in the ladies' bathroom, applying some pink lip gloss onto my lips in an attempt to look presentable for Connor's surprise. Trying to push back my feelings of anxiety, I placed the cap back on the tube when I heard the front pub door open.

"Sac-o-matic, I said!" I recognized Detective Greenly's voice yelling in ecstatic hilarity. "Connor, you're about to get mar-"

Suddenly, his sentence was drowned out by gunshots. Dropping my make-up bag to the floor, I crouched down onto the ground and crawled to the door. All the noises around me were muffled into one whole buzzing sound, almost as if I were going deaf.

Ignoring the ringing sensation in my ears, I managed to army-crawl on my knees and elbows to the door and get myself close enough to the bar where I saw Connor and Murphy standing behind the bar, both of them aiming their Desert Eagles at our assailant, Ottilio Panza. And the bloody, convulsing body of my dear friend, David Greenly…

To my horror, I saw the short hitman keeping Doc in his lethal grip, one hand holding a pocketknife to the old man's cheek and a gun to his head in the other. "Put them down. Throw them over." Panza instructed the boys, who stood still as statues in their threatening stances.

Taking the opportunity of Panza's attention on the boys, I crawled behind the bar and saw my girls, tears streaming down their faces and their bodies shaking with silent fear.

Delilah had her arms wrapped around Murphy's leg, keeping a tight vice on it as if she were about to be blown away in a gust of wind. Isabella was in the same position around her father's leg, burying her face into the blue material of his jeans. "Daddy." I heard her whimper.

"I'll kill the old man! Throw them over!" Panza demanded again, screaming in angry desperation.

At the sound of his voice, the girls crawled off of the Irishmen's feet and right into my arms. I held them tight as I pressed my back against the back of the bar. Izzy and Dee cried into both of my shoulders and I looked up to see Connor gently put his hand on Murphy's shoulder in a commanding gesture. Reluctantly, they threw their weapons over the opposite side of the bar, straight out of reach. I saw Connor halfway turn his head down to look at me, but he stopped himself before actually doing so, most likely to keep Panza's focus on him and away from the frightened children. Murphy kept his death glare on the hit-man, making a shiver flow up my spine as I imagined the anger he had to be feeling right then. Nobody pissed off Murphy and got away unscathed.

"Brothers, huh? Oh, we're gonna have us some fun. So, which one do you love more? Huh? This one?" I heard Panza ask Doc in a maniacal manner.

Before I could even guess which brother he was deciding to shoot first, a different gunshot sounded from the same side of the room and Panza screamed in what I could presume was pain. Connor and Murphy turned to see who had saved them and I decided to take advantage of the distraction.

"Isabella." I acknowledged my oldest baby, who still had tears emerging from her eyes. "Mommy needs you to take my cell phone, get your sister upstairs to your hide-out, lock the door and call the policemen, okay?"

"Mama, I can't. What if the bad guy shoots me?" Izzy's voice became overwhelmed with tears as I stroked both my hands down her arms in a comforting way.

"Daddy and Uncle Murphy won't let him get you or your sister, okay? Mommy just needs you to be a big girl right now. You need to be brave, just like Nala in 'The Lion King'. Can you do that?" I felt my own tears sting my eyes as she nodded in response. "It's almost over, baby. Mommy loves you."

I put my hand into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone, wrapping Isabella's little fingers around it. She reached over and grabbed Delilah's hand with the other. Dee could barely muster any real words other than "Mommy" as she gripped her sister's hand and followed her upstairs to the storage room.

As I watched them descend the stairs and shut the door, Connor and Murphy leapt over the bar and rushed right to Greenly's side. The cop continued to cough and moan in agony. "Doc, call a fuckin' ambulance right now!" Connor screamed in the old man's direction.

Momentarily forgetting about Panza, I joined the boys at Greenly's side on the bar floor. I managed to lift most of his upper body off the ground and cradle his head and shoulders in my lap, trying to wipe off the blood flowing from his mouth onto my shirt. He looked up at me and stared around the room with hazy eyes.

"Just hold on, man." Murphy encouraged him, but I knew it was in vain.

"Help's on the way. Hang in there!" Connor urged him profusely, briefly glancing up at my tear-stained face.

"Guys…its over." He choked out, his short statement ending with another strained cough. "Dani…" He gazed up at me, right into my eyes as his own were slowly turning blank. "The day at…hospital…when you had the girls…was the proudest day of my life."

With one final gasp of breath, Detective David Greenly died in my arms that night, right in front of everyone else I loved…

My mind still hadn't taken in everything that had happened yet, and it was only about to get even more extreme. Right in front of us, Noah MacManus himself stood in front of our attacker, his intimidating height of 6'4" making me feel even tinier than usual. He must've been the one who had been hiding and shot Panza in the hand.

Only, what they were currently doing made me freeze in confusion and fright. I barely felt both of the boys' hands grip my shoulders as I held Greenly's dead form in my lap. Noah and Panza were holding barrels of one of their guns to one another's head, in a deadly game of Russian roulette.

"Da!" Connor yelled next to me, his blue eyes wide in bewilderment and fear for his father.

"Easy, boys." Noah told his sons calmly. The elder Irishman nodded and closed his eyes to his opponent's direction, inviting him to see if his one bullet would kill him in this one chance he had.

The hit-man pulled the trigger…nothing happened.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ!" At last, Connor and Murphy stood up and gathered up their own fallen weapons into their hands, rushing to Panza's side to take care of him once and for all. They both held an end of a Desert Eagle to the side of the hit-man's skull. "I'm gonna blow this motherfucker's brains out right now!"

Connor's voice was the angriest I had heard it in years and it honestly did frighten me a bit. But, Noah's voice was a little fiercer than what I was expecting. "Connor! Son, daddy's workin'." The boys' father glanced at them both with just his eyes, keeping his head turned in Panza's direction.

"What the fuck are ya talkin' about?" Connor stubbornly questioned, spurring out the frustration and need to keep him from lashing out in this situation.

"Connor, you listen to him!" The lioness inside me broke out of her cage, trying to keep the raging Irishman under control so we could get out of this alive.

The MacManus brothers turned to stare at me in a mixture of astonishment and rage. Murphy's intense azure gaze softened when he saw the dried tears on my cheeks while Connor still held the fire of vengeance burning in his eyes, a look I was familiar with when it came to our arguments. At last, his jaw clenched in finality as he seemed to agree with my command.

The brave and proud lion trusting his mate's intuition and judgment…

"No matter how this turns out, you fuckin' die today." The father of our girls growled in a tone of voice I recognized from when we confronted Vincenzo Lappazzi in the Sin Bin six years ago.

"Believe it, motherfucker." Murphy threatened him as well, slowly backing up along with his brother away from the hit-man so he could be dealt with by their legendary father.

"Where is the Old Man?" Noah asked Panza in a surprisingly calm voice as if he were asking an everyday question.

"No!" Panza yelled as Noah pulled the trigger on his gun and the action resulted once again in nothing occurring. The hit-man nearly gawked in his subtle triumph.

Murphy and Connor got down on their knees and bowed their heads, praying for the Lord's aid in either Gaelic or Latin. Connor knelt next to me as he managed to gently take one of my hands in his and gripped it tightly, as if having some sort of physical contact with me could assist him in receiving God's guidance in this hellish ordeal.

Then, Panza started repeating some Italian phrase I couldn't decipher into English as he attempted to kill Noah again with his bullet's turn. His face turned down in defeat, much to my relief. The boys looked up to see what was happening, their eyes daring to peek at Panza's oncoming demise.

Noah took his try once more, pulling back the hammer in preparation to kill this man who threatened us. "Where is he?!" He interrogated in a loud voice while Panza continued to his mantra of the phrase he kept murmuring.

At last, the short Sicilian man shouted out a profane Italian phrase at Noah, which resulted in the patriarch's bullet to pierce him right between the eyes, sending him down for good.

Murphy leaned forward and buried his face in his fists, overwhelmed by all that had happened. Connor gasped in shock as he released my hand and sat down fully onto the floor as if he was becoming exhausted from the events of tonight.

Noah closed his eyes, looking away from Panza's dead body and up to the ceiling in spiritual thanks to Him for allowing us to live to see another day.

Then, everything was quiet for the first time in what seemed like an eternity…

"Danielle…" I heard a deep voice say my name, only it sounded very far away. "Danielle."

The voice repeated my name once more and I looked up from Greenly's corpse in my arms to see Noah kneeling down in front of me, his dark eyes filled with familiar kindness and concern for me.

"Its over now, darlin'." He assured me in his soft Irish brogue. I could only nod in silence, not feeling the strength to use my own voice.

"We need to get the girls away from here." Connor spoke up at my side, placing his tattooed hand protectively on my shoulder.

"I can't leave just yet, Connor." I found my ability to speak again as I broke away from Noah's gaze. "Once the police get here, they'll question me about what happened as a witness. You boys will have to get the girls back to my house."

"No, we both can't go there. Its too risky right now. How about I go ahead and take the girls home, and Murph'll take Da back to Cesar's so he can catch 'im up on all the shit that's happened since we left Ireland." Connor suggested, his eyes begging me to agree with this idea.

I sighed, my head pounding with dizziness. "Okay. It's the best way to go about tonight. But, the girls can't see all this carnage, Connor. It'll traumatize them to no end."

Murphy and Connor looked to each other for an idea. At last, the man I loved held my eyes again with the best solution he and his brother could think of. "We'll turn the lights out and I'll carry 'em right outta here, love."

He placed his _Veritas_ hand on my cheek, leaving it warm where his skin touched mine. I leaned away from his caress and wiped the sweat from my face with my hands…which only resulted with Greenly's fresh blood staining it instead like warrior paint…

.

.

After Connor used my car to get our daughters home safe and sound, the police arrived including Detectives Duffy and Dolly…and Agent Eunice Bloom.

Dolly and another officer wheeled out Greenly's corpse out of the pub in a body bag. I leaned against the outside wall of the bar, shivering with the cold, early autumn air. "Get the fuck out of the way!" I heard Dolly demand in an angry tone that I rarely recognized coming from him.

More tears assaulted my cheeks as I saw another police cruiser pull up to the curb behind the yellow tape that prohibited any interference with the crime scene. Eunice burst open the car door and rushed to the cart that held our fallen comrade's body despite Duffy's protests toward her actions.

"Oh, God! Oh, God!" Eunice cried out mournfully, sobs breaking out of her. I walked closer to the redhead, ready to comfort her in any way I could. She desperately unzipped the body bag so she could witness for herself if what she was seeing was true.

"I'm sorry, Greenbeans! I'm sorry!" Duffy cried out, his own tears making a mess of his scruffy face.

"Get him outta here!" Dolly told the medics, grabbing Eunice by the elbows to force her away from their dead friend. "Get him the fuck out of here! Get him in the wagon! Go!"

"No! No, no!" Eunice shouted in refusal, but not pushing the detective who was holding her like she usually would. Instead, she cried and buried her face into Dolly's jacket, letting her feminine vulnerability show, similar to what I was doing now.

The sound of Duffy's cell phone ringing pierced the cold night air as the cop groaned in exhaustion and grief as he answered the caller. "Yeah?"

From the tone of his voice, the caller must have been someone we all knew. Duffy held out the phone to Eunice with solemn eyes.

The woman raised her head up with distraught curiosity as she took the cell phone in her hand and answered. I waited anxiously until she was done talking. "That…that was Connor. He wants me to take you home right away. He's there with the girls right now, and they need their mother…and your man needs his angel." Her brown eyes sparked up briefly as she led the way to her car.

_You took me from all that I knew. Showed me how it feels to hope. With you with me, facing tomorrow together, I can learn to fly. Feels like I'm living in the lion's mouth. But the lion is an angel._

**The quote above is a sample of the lyrics from the song 'Lion' by Rebecca St. James. It can be found on the soundtrack, "Music Inspired by 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe'". Thanks for the reviews everyone, and please keep them coming. They inspire me :D**


	14. Mad World

**Okay, now here's a long chapter for you guys! Hope you enjoy and a big thanks to AngelsAndDaemons for inspiring this chapter! ****Please review!**

_Connor's POV:_

Danielle was on her way home, I was sure of it. After I had called Eunice and asked her to take my soon-to-be fiancée back to the house, Isabella and Delilah hardly left my side. I could barely imagine what horrible things were going through my daughters' heads as they continued holding onto me in fear.

Now, I lay by little Dee's bedside, holding her hand and softly singing an Irish lullaby to her. It wasn't something I was accustomed to doing, but these innocent little girls needed comfort and assurance that they were safe…and I would do anything to make that real for them.

One week ago, I hadn't even known about the girls' existence, but now that I did, nothing would prevent me from keeping all the evil things in the world away from my children.

Izzy lay beside her sister, tucked in firmly underneath Dee's favorite green blanket. Her eyelids started drooping as soon as I started crooning the song to them. It was the same one my own mother had sung to me and my brother when we would have nightmares…

"Daddy… is the bad guy gonna try to get us again?" Delilah stared at me with those heartbreaking emerald eyes; so much like her mother it almost split my soul in two.

"No, darlin'. Nothin's ever gonna try to hurt ya again. I promise." I reached over and gently wiped away a tear that spilled down her cheek.

"That gun was so loud…and scary. I thought you were gonna die, Daddy." Her voice broke away into tears as I lifted up the little child into my arms and sat myself onto the edge of the bed, cradling her tenderly to my chest.

"Its okay, me lil' angel. Da's here. I'll never let anythin' happen to ya." I held her tightly as I said it, meaning each word with all my heart.

I shushed her as quietly as I could, trying to keep Isabella from being woken up. After a few minutes of rocking my daughter back and forth in a soothing manner, her cries dissolved into tiny sniffles. "I…I love you, Daddy."

Her sweet small voice was slightly muffled against my shoulder, but I could understand what she was saying. "Oh, wee one. I love ye, too, Delilah Anne." The words came to me easily, with nearly no effort. My daughter sniffed and wiped away some more tears with her tiny hand as I stood up and slowly set her back down into bed next to Izzy. "Go to sleep now, sweetheart. Yer ma'll be here when ye wake up."

"O…Okay." She whispered, wiping away the remainder of her tears. Dee snuggled close to her sister as I pulled the soft blanket under her chin, making sure she was comfortable.

"Yer ma and I will right outside if ye get scared, alright?" She nodded quietly in the darkness of the nightlight in the corner as I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "G'night, lil' one."

"Ni-night, Daddy." She said softly, closing her eyes and slipping into slumber.

I silently stepped around the bed and made it to the door, slowly closing it to where it stood open a couple of inches. As I walked back to the living room to wait for Danielle to arrive, I heard the front door open and close. Entering the den, I saw her standing there by the coffee table, her shoulders slumped and her arms wrapped around herself.

"Danielle." My voice said her name carefully, as if each syllable might send her into a nervous breakdown.

She didn't even look at me as I acknowledged her. Dani's green eyes stared blankly at the carpet like it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"Dani…" I took two steps toward her, slowly holding both of my hands forward as if I were approaching a helpless animal. "Me love." At last, I reached her at arm's length and gently laid my hands on her shoulders.

"Are the girls asleep?" She asked, still keeping her gaze on the floor. Her voice sounded nearly monotonous as she inquired me about it.

"Aye, they're both sleepin'. I even left their night-light on so they wouldn't be scared." I slightly smiled at her as she finally looked up at me. She didn't return the grin, not that I blamed her for not doing so.

"Connor, I…I think I just need to take a bath…and get some sleep. I wanna…help plan for David's funeral tomorrow. Seems that I've gotten pretty good at that over the years." Her bitter sarcasm threw me off as I saw the weariness and exhaustion on her face. Dark circles were perched under her eyes. Her usually vibrant green irises held a grey fog and the whites surrounding them were splotched with a pinkish color, showing that she had done a great deal of crying. It took everything I had not to just scoop her up off the floor and hold her in my arms on the couch, showing that I'd protect her from all evil.

"That sounds like a good idea, love. You've had a hard day and ye need yer rest." I mentally kicked myself as I said the understatement of the fucking century. Taking her bandaged hand delicately, I led the way to her bedroom, letting her step through the doorway first.

"You can come in here, Connor. Tonight, I can make an exception." Danielle's voice held no emotion whatsoever, as if she were trying to mask all feeling for my sake.

She took her purple bathrobe off its hook on the bathroom door as I entered the room and sat on her bed. "'Kay, I'll just wait here fer ya."

"Feel free to pick out something for me to wear to bed. I don't really care." She opened the bathroom door without looking at me and closed it, disappearing from my sight.

After she shut the door, I went to her drawers and started looking for night clothes. I found the one that held all of her pajamas and dug through them, locating a long-sleeved evergreen nightgown. Danielle looked especially lovely in the Irish jade color.

As I pulled out the garment and laid it onto the bed, I heard the sickening sound of glass breaking from the bathroom. Then, the sound of a body slumping to the ground entered my ears as I ran to the bathroom door and grabbed the knob with my hands.

"Dani, sweetheart, are ye hurt? Answer me!" All I got in response was the sound of her crying.

Finally, I found the sense to forcefully open the door and stepped back in shock at what I saw. Danielle sat on the floor, numerous shards of broken glass from the mirror above her sink encircling her form. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, which enfolded her body in a protective ball. It had been so long since I'd seen her in such a vulnerable position that it broke my heart into pieces.

"Oh, my God!" I seethed out in a furious whisper. Not directed at her, but me. I never should've asked her to come to the pub tonight. Once again, she failed to look up at me as I knelt beside her to examine the damage that had been done. It appeared that her knuckles weren't bruised at all, then I figured it out when I saw the blow-dryer lying by her feet.

"No, no." Dani moaned into her hands and I put my arms underneath her back and knees and lifted her up, carrying her out of the pool of glass and into the bedroom. As I laid her onto the bed, it suddenly occurred to me that she was wearing nothing but a bathrobe.

Trying to ignore that enticing fact, I laid beside the small woman and wrapped my tattooed arm around her shaking form. Her sobs became more intensified as she turned around and faced me, now crying into my shoulder. "Why does everyone leave me, Connor?"

That question broke my heart as I thought of everyone she had lost in her life: Her parents, her uncle, Greenly… Even my brother and I when we left her behind. "I don't know, me love. Now I know fer a fact that I'll _never_ leave ya again."

She looked up at me with those beautiful tear-stained eyes of hers and our faces were instantly inches away from each other. "Connor…" The young woman sighed out my name as she placed her hand on my cheek, tracing her fingertips along the growing scruff.

Then, my lips were met with hers in a passionate kiss as I wrapped my arms almost possessively around her, as if she could be stolen away from me at any moment. "Danielle, me brave angel…"

"My strong lion." She nearly purred in my ear as she pulled me over to loom above her barely clothed body. "I want…I need…and I love you… so much." Dani managed to sigh between the kisses I continued to give her, along her neck, shoulder, almost down to her desirable cleavage.

"Danielle Kristina…there's never been any other woman I've wanted other than you…fer the last six fuckin' years." I growled in sinfully desperate lust to her. "The thought of ya marryin' some scumbag who'd take advantage o' ya made me so livid." Despite my angry tone of voice, my own fingers gently caressed her soft brunette locks, making me want to bury my face in them.

"There's never been any man in this bed with me other than you, Irishman. And if you want me, you'll have to let me unwrap part of you first." I could never deny the breathlessness in her tone.

"Aye, me lioness. No sane bastard could deny himself the perfect woman." My lips captured hers again as I felt her fingers lift up the hem of my shirt, forcing me to pull away so I could get it entirely off.

"Now, you have my permission to unwrap me. There is nothing else underneath this robe but my body." She whispered, laying flat down below my hovering form. Seeing no sign of fear in her eyes, only trust and love, my fingers carefully untied the belt around her robe, allowing me to open it and reveal Danielle's naked body, the most stunning and flawless of the Lord's creations.

The next hour or so was nothing but everything we had wanted and missed for the past six years. Danielle was more experienced where her sexuality was concerned, but it was more than physical delight for us. It was the feeling of her content and safe in my arms where I wanted her to be the whole time we had been separated. We explored each other where our bodies had not been touched in so long, but we managed to fit together perfectly, like she was made only for me to hold and cherish…

When we started to finish the experience, it all came out rushing at once and the question erupted from me more as a command as she gasped and gripped her fingers into my hair. "Marry me, Danielle…"

She opened her eyes from her pleasure to stare into mine. "What?" Dani sighed out, loosening her hold on my short hair.

We both lay under the covers of her bed, refusing to let go of one another. "I asked ye to come to the pub…because I was gonna ask ye…to marry me."

"Conn…are you…" Dani began to stutter, but I tried to explain.

"I'm askin' because its what I shoulda done instead o' leavin' ya all those years ago. More than anythin' I wanted to whisk ye away to me homeland and make ye me wife and we coulda raised our daughters there, where they'd be safe from all the dangers here." I placed my hand on her fragile neck, hoping my confession would console her.

When I got nothing but silence from her, I bent over the edge of my side of the bed and pulled the velvet box from the jeans I had discarded. Dani leaned over closer to see.

"Danielle Kristina Smecker, I knew from the day I saw ye stride into the police station six years ago, yer head held high with determination, that I knew ye were different than any o' the women I'd met before. Ye managed to keep me an' me brother in line and ye even risked yer own precious life to save us." I gulped in uncharacteristic anxiety as I continued. "I know I don't have enough to give ye everything ye deserve: Jewelry, property, a nice car. All I really can give ya is a firm promise as a man to protect ye, and to care fer ye in all the ways I possibly can. Will ye become me wife and make me the happiest bastard on Earth?" I opened the box and revealed the ring I had spent all my U.S. dollars on.

"Oh, Connor…" Dani reached over with trembling fingers and took the box into her hands. I held my breath as I awaited her answer. She stared at the bejeweled band, then back at me before more tears came to her eyes. Right as I feared the rejection I should have expected, her luscious lips turned up into a smile. "Yes, I'll be your wife, Connor Liam MacManus."

"Aye?" I pulled her close to me again and began to feel her bare breasts brush against my chest. I felt her nod her head as my hand cradled her cheek. A tear of happiness threatened to escape my eye, but I wiped it away before she could see. "Ye said yes." I declared in a whisper, pressing my forehead to hers as our bodies became united again, tangling together in a blissful cloud neither of us had any whim to abandon…

After a special celebratory session of lovemaking, my burner cell vibrated on the bedside table. Dani lay asleep with her head on my chest and me resting on one of the pillows. I groaned in irritation as my fiancée stirred from her peaceful slumber. "Wha…what is it?" She questioned with her voice thickened from sleeping.

"Its Da. I oughta see what he wants." I told her as she relaxed against me. Sure enough, my father was calling to request that I come over to Cesar's house as soon as possible so he could give Murphy and I information about this "friend of his", the Old Man.

After I hung up the phone, I sat up and reluctantly pushed the bed covers off me. "Where are you going?" Dani yawned as she ended her question.

"I hafta get to Rome's uncle's house where Murph is stayin'. Da has some information on this Old Man bastard that Panza was workin' fer." I pulled my pants back on and fastened my belt into the loops around my jeans, wanting more than anything to climb back into my bride-to-be's heavenly bed.

"Okay, will you be back later today?" She asked, pulling the covers up to conceal her nudity.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, love." After I put my shirt back on, I crawled back onto the bed right above her horizontal form. "I'll lock the door behind me, Danielle." I bent down and pressed my lips to hers in a farewell kiss. "I love ye."

"Good." She smiled as she closed her eyes in a serene way. "I love you, too, my Lion."

.

.

About twenty minutes after I had left Dani's house, I sat with my brother and father at Cesar's dining table, drinking a hot mug of coffee.

Da sat at the end of the table while Murphy and I sat on the sides opposite from him, occasionally glancing at each other in curiosity as we waited for our father to say something.

"I'm so sorry, boys. This was all my fault." Once again, me and Murphy looked at one another quizzically before Da continued. "There's a few things yer Da needs to tell yas."

So our father gave us the entire back story about how our grandfather, Jacob MacManus, had been killed by gangsters that he owed in 1950s New York City when Da was just 20 years old working as his apprentice in a leather goods shop. His childhood friend, an Italian named Louie Patronazzi, saw the aftermath of the murder and feared the worst: that our own father had committed patricide.

Eventually, Da had been constantly pursued by other gangsters after he finally got revenge on the men who killed his father, but he always refused their offers. His urge to kill increased until he was at the ultimate pinnacle in the mobster history of being an assassin, with Louie aiding him in his missions.

"That's how it went fer years. Louie would do all the plannin' and I would…do the other." Our father concluded in a solemn voice.

"Jesus." Murphy sighed out, shaking his head.

"How'd ya end up inside, Da?" I asked, wanting to know how the hell he ended up imprisoned for the majority of mine and my brother's lives.

"Back in '75, I did a piece o' work. I come out and the police was waitin' fer me. Louie set me up, twenty-five to life." He explained.

"Why did he set you up?" Murphy asked him, his brow furrowed.

"I can't wait to ask 'im." An impatient light ignited in my father's dark eyes.

"Why didn't ya put the flip on 'im, Da? The guy fucked ya." I pointed out the obvious before Da looked to me with a steely gaze.

"He had learned of the birth of my sons." He revealed quietly, looking straight at the wall ahead of him.

Now it all made sense…

All this information made me nervous and itching to get back to my family of women awaiting my return. "I've got somethin' important to tell both o' ya." Both Da and Murphy stared at me with expectant looks. "I asked Danielle to marry me…and she said yes."

I couldn't stop the smile from emerging on my face. In return, Murphy grinned quietly with obvious pride while Da stood up from his chair and affectionately gripped my shoulder, making me stand up to face him. "Good fer you, son. Danielle is a first-class woman ye don't meet every day, and I know you'll take the best care o' her."

"Thank ye, Da. Will…will ye do 'er the honor o' walkin' 'er down the aisle? I'm sure she'd love to know that she has yer approval." I asked him, nervous of his answer.

"O' course I will, Connor. The lass has had me approval since yer brother told me o' when she threw beer bottles at both o' ya when ye got too plastered one mornin'." He chuckled with me and Murphy at the distant memory. "It sounds just like somethin' yer dear mother would do."

"Aye, Dani an' Ma would get along great." I smiled at the thought of Izzy and Dee running around my mother's ankles in excitement and Dani laughing at an embarrassing story about me and Murphy when we were little boys…

Now, I couldn't wait for her to officially be part of my family and she would become Danielle Kristina MacManus…

.

.

Not long after, Murphy and I drove back to her house in Dani's car right at the break of dawn. I doubted anyone would be awake now after last night's events.

When we walked up to the front door, on odd feeling landed in my stomach when I saw the door partially open, liked someone left in a hurry…

"Murphy, I locked that door before I left the house." I pointed to it in emphasis as I ran to it and pushed the door open. What I saw next shocked us both: the living room was in shambles. The TV was knocked over on its side, the screen cracked and showing nothing but black and white static…

Something was definitely fucked up…

"Danielle!" I shouted in worry and anger while Murphy went around the house to search for the girls, worriedly yelling their names. I did my best not to run so I could search for any other signs of disturbance. Hearing for Dani to respond to me calling out her name…

The house was completely dark and silent…and that wasn't right.

At last, I found a glowing source of light coming from Dani's room at the end of the hallway. Maybe Dani and the girls were hiding in her closet… When I entered the bedroom, I saw the bathroom light on, showing me where I could see what was going on.

I couldn't form any coherent words in my voice or in my mind as I took in what was before me when I looked in Danielle's bathroom…

There she lay, naked and unmoving in a small puddle of her own blood in the empty bathtub, numerous cuts drawn all over her flesh and soaking into her tangled hair. "No, no, no, NO!" I screamed as I rushed to her side and took her face into my hands. "Dani…darlin', please wake up. Please open yer eyes!" She didn't respond to me as broken sobs erupted from my throat. "Murph, get the fuck in 'ere, now!" I roared, not taking my eyes off her. Her head slumped backward as I lifted her delicate body out of the tub before settling her into my lap and wrapping her into my pea-coat to quell the bleeding. My arms wrapped around her still form as tightly as my devastation would allow. "God, please don't take her away from me...please..." I shut my eyes, begging to the Lord in a defeated whisper, in the foreign voice of a man desperately hoping for the woman he loved to still be alive. Her body felt as breakable as the most precious porcelain, moreso than I ever remembered, bundled up in my black coat and her soft skin cold to the touch.

"Conn, what…oh fuck!" Murphy's face switched from fear to wrathful to grief in those few seconds. "Dani!" My brother knelt beside her as I noticed that one of Dani's eyes was dark purple and swollen shut. Somebody had beat her…and attacked this house.

"Murph, where the fuck are the girls?!" I growled at him, gripping my dying wife-to-be even closer to my chest as a protective reflex.

"Man, I covered every inch o' the fuckin' house. They're not here!" He shouted in a rage as he stood up to punch the wooden door, miraculously leaving a hole the size of his fist. He seemed unfazed by the impact of the temper-driven act.

"Don't fuckin' say to that to me, Murph." I seethed, imagining that if I wasn't holding Dani, I would've been physically fighting with him about this.

"I'm not shittin' ya, Conn. The girls aren't here!" I heard a sob build up in my brother's throat as I stood up with Dani's lifeless body in my arms. "Some motherfuckers took 'em and left Dani fer dead. They left a note fer us. _'We took your precious girls for a trip and we hope you boys enjoy the free present we left in the bitch's bathroom for you'. _The sick fucks left Dani as a physical message."

I started marching through the house to the car as I listened to my brother, vengeance like no other coursing through my veins. "We need to call Eunice and Da, tell 'em to meet us at Mass General." Before I knew it, we were racing down the street in Dani's car, Murphy driving and me cradling my beloved fiancée in the back seat. And I silently asked God if this was my punishment for leaving my love behind when all I wanted was for her to be safe…and now she was in the greatest danger, along with our daughters.


	15. Wildflower

_Dani's POV:_

Nothing…not one thing lay in my line of sight except for a cloud of blackness that smothered me. I couldn't breathe, or move… I was completely frozen from the inside out.

But, I could still feel and hear what was going on. However, my senses were becoming weaker by the passing second.

The cold porcelain surface of the bathtub lay below my exposed body, arctic and hard against my naked back and legs despite the frightening warmth of blood trailing along my skin.

I heard the sound of frantic footsteps coming toward me…I knew the sound of those boots…

The word "no" was being repeated by a familiar Irish brogue, frantic with disbelief and desperation. Gentle hands took a hold of my face as the voice demanded me to open my eyes and began sobbing my name.

I can't open my eyes…I can't move…

_I'm sorry. I've been prepared for everything…but not this. Please forgive me._ My brain managed to process before I felt my limp body being lifted up and wrapped in a bundle of fabric material that brought back faint memories.

Everything went dark and I felt nothing more. I saw no dreams except the recent event that caused me to be in this paralyzed state.

.

.

_I lie in my bed on my stomach shortly after Connor left for Cesar's house. Since then, I have changed into the dark green nightgown my fiancé selected for me, knowing I had to be decently dressed in case one of the girls got scared in the middle of the night and wanted to come into my room._

_The blue light of the early morning shines through the curtains of my bedroom. From my blurry half-awake vision, I see that my clock reads 5:30 in the morning. Not thinking anything of it, I relax against my pillow and will my mind to sleep again._

_My bedroom door creaks open, causing me to open my eyes in alertness. "Izzy? Dee? Are you two okay?" I ask them, rubbing some sleep out of my eyes to clear my image of the room around me. _

_To my surprise a dark, tall figure of muscular build stands in front of my bed. "It's a nice place you got here, sweetheart. And I can see that you're even more attractive up close."_

_Its a mocking, menacing voice that sends an aching chill down my spine. "Who…Who the hell are you? Get the fuck out of my house?!" I manage to whisper loudly at him so I won't risk getting attention. I throw the covers off me and stand straight on my own two feet, wishing I had kept my gun in my drawer within my reach instead of in my closet. I just didn't want to risk the girls finding it and getting hurt._

"_Don't you worry, baby. We'll leave just as soon as we get what we came here for." The man keeps his voice low as he walks into the early light of dawn, revealing a lion mask covering the lower half of his face. "And of we manage to do this quietly, we'll make sure your girls will have a safe trip with us." He reaches into his pocket presumably for his weapon. _

_A snarl makes its way into my voice. "No! You leave my girls out of this. You can take anything you want in this house, but not my girls." I try to coax him into manipulation, to keep his mind busy. Despite my best instincts, I step closer to the man whose lion mask shows sharp white teeth smiling hungrily at me, his predator eyes mentally undressing me. _

_The lioness of the pride against a stubborn rogue male…_

_Then, I hear the sickening crash from down the hallway and more angry male voices spewing profane words. And I hear my daughters' cries among them… "Mommy! Daddy…!"_

_An enraged scream rips out of me as I lunge at the bastard, my protective maternal intuition overwhelming me. I don't even care that I'm attacking another human being. Anyone that threatens my children will pay one way or another, that's fucking right._

_The crash of my weight sends him down onto the carpet with a grunt as I at last see the weapon he was pulling out of his pocket…a taser. I have to get it somehow and use it on him…_

_I clasp my hands onto his face, scratching my fingernails down the skin of his upper cheeks. He only groans in irritation as if my scarring his facial features did nothing._

'_Go for the eyes' my instincts instruct me. I do just that as he claps his rough hands on my hips, trying to force me off him. Remembering the diamond engagement ring on my right hand, I raise it and punch him exactly in the eye. He screams this time in rage and pain, holding his hand to his right eye. Blood seeps between his fingers as he tries to stop it from flowing down his face._

"_You little cunt! You're gonna pay for that, with everything you've got!" He yells at me as I get off of him and make my way to the bedroom door. Before I even touch the doorknob, the violent heat courses through my body, freezing me in place… My muscles fail as I slump to the ground. A pathetic scream of pain attempts to erupt from my mouth, but I hold it back, not wanting to show that I'd succumb so easily._

_My body writhes on the ground as if I were having a seizure. The girls' screams become fainter as heat even more intense flows through my body, my heart racing at an alarming rate. "Stop! Leave my girls alone, please! I'll…I'll negotiate."_

"_Oh, shut up, you stupid bitch. I had enough trouble trying to get those brats in that hit-and-run the other day. According to the boss, negotiating is a waste of time." He smiles at me as I moan in agony, powerless to move. My mind manages to process that this is the same man who tried to kill the girls just a short time ago. _

_So that car accident was caused with purpose…_

_He continues to keep one hand pressed over his eye. "However, it'd be awful to let such an amazing body like yours go to waste." His tone of voice dips into that of disgusting lust that reminds me of Vincenzo Lappazzi. "I'm sure the other boys won't mind if I have a few minutes fun with the Saints' most prized possession." _

_His eyes fill with intent, and that of wanting to harm and take for his own. I hear the click of a pocketknife's blade and the cutting fabric of my green nightgown as the man above me chuckles darkly. The nightmare starts with the feel of the blade's edge on my skin and concludes with the torture of his fingers between my legs once he has me completely stripped, working their filthy damage… _

_I allow the pain to pull me down into oblivion and numbness…_

.

.

_My eyes open again, only this time, I'm in a different area. I'm standing in the city cemetery right in front of my family plot. My body is clad in the black dress I wore for Uncle Paul's funeral. His grave lies below those of my mother and father, long dead for seven years…_

_**Michael Smecker**_

_**1960-1998**_

_**Beloved father, husband and officer of the law**_

_**and**_

_**Rebecca Smecker**_

_**1962-1998**_

_**Beloved wife and mother**_

"_What…what is this?" I speak hoarsely, seeing puffs of breath emerge from my mouth in the chilly air._

"_Don't be scared, honey. Mama and Daddy are here." I hear my mother's soothing voice and feel a light touch on my shoulder. I see my beloved parents standing behind me, just as I recall them._

"_Mom…Daddy?" I choke out as they smile at me with sadness in their eyes._

"_You can't give up now, Danielle. Connor needs you, and so do the girls." My father, wearing his police uniform and badge, stares at me with a mixture of love and sternness, his blue eyes icy._

"_I…I can't believe I failed to keep my kids safe. What kind of mother am I? What if I make a bad wife to Connor?" I babble out my questions as my mother takes my hands and holds them tight._

"_Sweetheart, we've been able to see for six years how much that man adores you. Even your father approves of him now, even though he was against you being with a vigilante." My dad briefly scoffs at her as she glances in his direction. Her freckled face is as lovely as I remember when her green eyes brim with silent tears, along with her red-brown hair shining in the sunset light. _

"_She's right, baby. Its not time for you to go yet. You are one of the driving forces behind what the Saints do, and without you, there won't be anyone to keep them from corrupting themselves. Your mother did the very same for me." He puts his arm gratefully around my mother's shoulders as she smiles in defiance._

"_You're right. Dying now will only make things worse than they already are. The boys aren't going to lose their humanity, not while I'm alive to create a life worth living separate from vigilantism." I feel the strength rise in my body as my parents slowly start to fade away into the heavenly light._

"_We'll always be there for you, Danielle. We always have been." My mother says to me as my father leans down and kisses my forehead before disappearing. Mom places her hand on my face and wipes away a tear. "Goodbye, sweetheart. We're so proud at how far you've come."_

_Everything gradually blurs into silent darkness as I feel sleepy and the anesthetic medicine courses through my veins, sedating me into peaceful unconsciousness…_

.

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

She was in surgery now, barely alive and still bleeding. The female nurses volunteered to dress her body in a hospital gown and had handed me back my blood-soaked pea-coat, which now lay in my lap.

I sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room, waiting to hear anything of her condition. The doctors had removed the ring from her finger for safety reasons and gave it to me to hold on to. I twirled it around with my fingers, remembering how perfectly it fit around her finger.

"Murph, its been an hour and a half. They oughta tell us somethin' by now." I growled out to my brother, who sat next me in his own chair.

"I'm sure it won't be too much longer, Conn. I just thank God that she still had a pulse. She's gonna make it, I know she will." Murphy's eyes flamed up with anger and worry, but his voice was strangely comforting. "And we're gonna find those motherfuckers who took the girls."

We met each other's eyes as he said that sentence with the utmost conviction, meaning every word. I nodded in fervent agreement as I placed the ring into my pants pocket.

Then, the doors opened to reveal Eunice, Dolly and Duffy running toward us with haste. The redhead's hair was up in a messy ponytail as if she ran all the way here from the precinct. "What the hell happened now? Is she alright?" Eunice's eyes looked to us desperately for answers.

"Aye, she's been in surgery fer nearly an hour and 45 minutes. We're just waitin' to hear somethin' before we head out to find the girls. Would ya happen to have any fuckin' idea who coulda done this?" My words ran together frantically in a rush.

"Dani told me when I was taking her home to you that Noah kept questioning Panza about the Old Man during their Russian roulette game, so…I figure there's a mighty good chance that he's the one behind what happened to her. Just to make sure, I logged onto an FBI database to get the info on the Old Man, also known as the Roman. As soon as your father gets here, I'll fill you all in on his location." Eunice informed us in a serious voice.

Detectives Dolly and Duffy slumped down into a couple of chairs, looking exhausted.

The sound pf the ER doors opening made us all alert as we looked up at a doctor coming in our direction. He stopped in front of us as we anxiously waited for him to say something. "Everyone, we want you all to know that we did everything we could with the damage done to Miss Smecker. Luckily, you got her here just in time before she lost a substantial amount of blood. We had to give her an easy transfusion. The main good news is that she's going to heal with rest and tender care."

A loud relieved sigh sounded from all of us at once as I felt my body relax from all the tension.

"However, there is some rather unfortunate news, I'm afraid." I put one of my hands on my brother's shoulder to balance myself in preparation. "It seems that whoever injured her did a great deal of harm to her right eye. Its left black and swollen for now, but the blow done to it was enough to…permanently destroy the inner vessels that allow her to see through it."

"What…what the hell does that mean?" Duffy spoke up for all of us.

"It means that there's nothing we can do concerning what was done to her eye. She'll be forever half blind. And in addition to that…we found some bruises in the shape of fingerprints on her inner thighs. So there are definite signs of sexual assault. I'm so sorry to tell you all this. She should be put in one of the patient rooms down the hallway upstairs if any of you want to see her. But, she won't be awake for at least twelve hours." The doctor said in a regretful tone. With that, he turned and went back through the doors, not wanting to see our reactions.

Anger and sadness whirled inside me in a tornado, unstoppable and dangerous. I heard my brother take a deep breath, trying to hold back his own rage as I turned to the wall by the waiting room chairs and began punching it repeatedly with my fist.

"Connor!" I heard my name being called by Murphy and Eunice as I released my ferocity. One punch for each time I had seen Danielle in pain… One, two, three, four…

My brother's hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from the wall, my bruised knuckles throbbing in hidden torture. My hands relaxed as I felt despair and Dani's name made its way out of my mouth. "Danielle…" I moaned out in grief for her as sobs shook my whole body. "Why is it always her who has to pay the price for what we do?"

Murphy's own eyes filled with unshed tears that he refused to let out as he put his arm around my shoulders in a comforting hug. "Conn…we're gonna make her okay." He attempted in vain to make me feel better.

I turned around to see Eunice standing by Murphy and looking at me with sad brown eyes. "I'm sorry, boys. I should've seen this coming." She placed her hand on Murphy's own shoulder.

"No, don't ya go blamin' yerself fer this, Eunice." My brother told her firmly. "Nobody expected somethin' like this was gonna happen."

"Da should be here any minute. I…I wanna see her before we go. I wanna tell her that everything's gonna be fine and we're gonna get the girls back." I wiped away a couple of stray tears from my eyes.

"Aye, we can do that, man. Ya go to yer woman." Murphy patted me on the shoulder encouragingly as I made my way to one of the elevators that would take me upstairs.

After five incredibly long minutes of searching, I found her room. It was white with glaring lights on the ceiling that made me blink my eyes to get used to it.

Then, I saw her lying in the ivory-colored bed, covered in two or three blankets, her long hair flowing around her face on the pillow. Bandages covered her arms, along with a clear tube leading to an IV needle inserted into her wrist. Her eyes, including the blackened and scarred one, lay blissfully closed and her breathing was rhythmic, her chest rising up and down in deep slumber. A heart monitor cord was strapped to the index finger of her other hand, the machine beeping in pace with her heartbeat.

Here she lay so inert and vulnerable; it relieved and saddened me at the same time…

I walked slowly to her bedside, wanting to hope that this was just a dream I was having, hoping I'd wake up in her bed, with her safe in my arms…

Kneeling down to her level, I took her IV-free hand into mine and held it gently, doubting she'd feel it in her sedated condition. "Danielle…I'm so sorry I let this happen to ya. If I hadn't left that house, ya wouldn't be like this right now. But, I swear on me life that I'll get the girls back to ya, no matter what. Me an' Murph, we both love ya an' those girls more than anythin' in this world. You're all that matters to us, now." I slipped my other hand into my pocket and pulled out her ring, tenderly sliding it onto her finger. "Goodbye, me angel. I'll come back fer ya very soon." I bent down toward her sleeping face and gently pressed my lips to hers in a reassuring kiss.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see the two detectives standing by the doorway. "We'll watch over her for you, Connor." Duffy assured me as he pulled up a chair by the wall and sat down.

"Thank ye, I'd appreciate it." I nodded to both of them solemnly before glancing over my shoulder for one last look at my love. "Make sure either you or Eunice is with her when she wakes up. She'll be scared outta her mind." I attempted to keep a growl from forming at the end of my order.

"We will. She's in good hands." Dolly assured me, taking my hand and shaking it.

I nodded in response, clapping him on the shoulder and making my way out the door. When I made it to the hospital entrance, I saw Da, Eunice, Murphy and Romeo standing by a van I didn't recognize. Eunice handed my father some maps and other papers while I went to prepare to leave with my brother and Rome.

"He's in York, Maine about an hour from here. But he lives off the grid. I logged onto an FBI database to get the info. Only a matter of time before they flag it. You better get a move on, or they'll get there before you do." I heard Eunice inform Da carefully.

"Will they know its you?" Da asked her, referring to the police finding out about her going rogue. I saw her nod her head sadly in admittance. "Will ya be alright, dear?" He placed his hand comfortingly on her shoulder before she wrapped her arms up to him in a comradely embrace.

"I'd never thought I'd ask this of another human being, but please…kill this man." Eunice told my father softly as I readied my weapons to go rescue my little girls. _"Kill this man."_

_**That's it for this one! And I'm sorry if I got any medical information wrong. I'm not a doctor, so I know nothing about how severe blindness or any of that works. I just hope you all are enjoying this, and I'd appreciate a review! **_

_**Also, a bit of trivia: I think Denis Leary and Karen Allen would be perfect to play Dani's parents, and I forgot they were husband and wife in 'The Sandlot' when I thought that! How crazy, huh? **_


	16. Breath of Life

**AN: Hi, everyone! Finally, school is over for now. I'm sorry about the month long hiatus. Finals and papers to turn in have occupied me. I hope you all are still up for more of Connor and Murphy's quest to get the wee ones back… **

**I wish you all a great holiday and my heart goes out to all the victims' families in Newtown, CT. It sickens me what happened to those little kids and my deepest condolences go out to their loved ones. The remainder of this story is dedicated to them…**

"_And they that holdest My name shall come with the shaking of the earth and the roiling of the oceans."_

_Connor's POV:_

We all kneeled before the statue of Christ inside the local Catholic church of York, Maine, silently praying for guidance and protection. As I crossed myself, I begged God to watch over my daughters and not allow their captors to harm them. If I saw a single mark of damage on either girl, those men would wish they had never been born.

But, I knew they would all die, regardless. They had left Danielle for dead and kidnapped two helpless children…

"Connor, son…" I heard my father's voice across from me as we sat in the van, driving to the Roman's location. Looking up in response, I couldn't quite bring myself to reach his dark eyes. "I'm sorry fer what happened to Danielle. If she hadn't made it, her blood woulda been on me hands."

"Da, there was nothin' any one o' us coulda done with what happened. After we got Yakavetta, we all thought it was over, includin' Eunice, and you've seen how fuckin' smart she is." Murphy spoke up before I could, which was strange, but I really wasn't in much of a talking mood right then. "The important thing is that Dani's gonna be fine and we're gonna get Izzy an' Dee back. So quit feelin' fuckin' sorry fer yerselves. Jesus fuckin' Christ."

My brother sent me a subtle glare, which I did my best to ignore as I tightened my gun holster around my waist. "Murph, didn't ya hear the doctor when he said she was gonna be half-blind fer the rest o' her life? Ya know how much independence she's gonna lose 'cause I wasn't there to protect her from those motherfuckers?"

"Boys, ya stop it, now!" Our father nearly shouted at both of us, gaining control of the situation. "Arguin' about this'll get us nowhere. I get that yer both worried fer those lil' lasses o' yers, and I understand why as yer father. But we gotta keep our heads now and stay focused on the mission, aye?"

Murphy and I looked to each other briefly before nodding our heads in silent response.

The rest of the trip was a blur to me as we made our way to the Roman's gray mansion. The whole place seemed desolate and creepy, like something out of an old horror film. The look of the place made me more anxious to get the girls away from here.

Our plan was to have our father go meet the Roman in the greenhouse and await the signal for us to attack. In the meantime, we'd find the room where the girls were being kept and get them to safety.

We waited by the van as Da made his way inside the manor, preparing our deadliest weapons and strategizing how to sneak inside without putting the girls at risk.

I led the way into the house with Romeo and Murphy following me, keeping a close eye out for any of the Roman's henchmen. Now, Murphy stood by the spiral staircase in the main hallway and placed his hand briefly on my chest to get my attention. When I turned to him, I saw him holding Da's beaded rosary in his hand and looking up into where the staircase led to. Perhaps this was our father's way of leading us to where the girls were.

Hope rising in me, I turned to Rome and signaled with my hands for him to stay downstairs while Murphy and I went up to locate the children. He nodded in agreement, loading his weapon in preparation.

My brother and I slowly went up the stairs, taking each step carefully to avoid making unwanted noise. Soon enough, we made it to the second level, where several wooden doors surrounded us. Any one of these rooms could be containing the girls…

"Hey, you shut up over there or you're each gonna lose an eye like I did!" An angry male voice sounded from behind one of the doors, causing Murphy and I to freeze in our spots. "Goddamn brats…"

"Marty, take it easy. They're just little kids." Another male voice of a slightly higher pitch told the man who spoke before. We walked closer to the door, listening intently for the girls' voices.

"I…I want my Mommy and Daddy…" The sound of that meek, defenseless voice made me want to kick that fucking door in and shoot the bastards keeping my daughters prisoner, but we had to go about this carefully for the sake of everyone involved with the mission.

From what I could remember, we only had two guns left with silencers…so we had to take the opportunity with them. Following my lead with the weapons, we raised the silencers to the exact spot in the wall where we heard the men's voices and took aim.

All we heard next was the sound of whimpering as we opened the door and saw the two bodies slumped against the wall, blood pouring from their heads. Across the room from us sat Isabella and Delilah, each of them tied up to a chair with their hands bound behind their backs.

"Daddy! Uncle Muffy!" Both of the girls cried out in fright and relief, tears streaming down their reddened faces. Murphy ran to Delilah to untie her while I went to Isabella and did the same with the other girl.

"Darlin' ,its gonna be alright now. Da and yer Uncle Murph are here. We're gonna get ya back to yer Ma." I talked fast to both of them, wanting to assure myself that this plan would work. The signal to attack was going to be given at any moment, standing like a ticking time-bomb.

"Girls, shut yer eyes. Don't look." Murphy instructed them strictly. Izzy buried her face into my shoulder as I held her tight. My brother's eyes looked to Dee with worry and determination to get his nieces to safety.

"Uncle Muffy, that mean man hit me because I cried too much." I heard Dee whisper as we began to make our way downstairs to find the girls somewhere they could hide. My brother let out a deep huff of quiet fury as I cradled Izzy close, her fingers curling onto my rosary.

As the little brunette girl laid her head onto her uncle's shoulder, I felt the need for violent vengeance swirl in my heart at the mental image of sweet Delilah being struck…

We carried the girls downstairs, meeting Romeo by the hallway closet. After instructing the girls to hide inside there and stay put until we came back, we heard the fateful sound of gunshots being fired…

It was all a whirlwind of adrenaline and bloodshed… Murphy and I rushing to the greenhouse to protect our father…

Bullets flying everywhere and men going down with each hit all around us…

Amidst the chaos, Romeo was shot, then Murphy, then me…then our father…

The bullet pierced my shoulder as I tried to catch my breath. Looking up, I saw Murphy crawl to our fallen father's side, removing the elder man's sunglasses from his eyes. Another gunman aimed at him, but I managed to fire at the bastard before they could be harmed.

My vision became slightly blurry around the edges, but I closed my eyes and attempted to gather my senses together. I imagined Danielle lying peacefully in her hospital bed, healing and safe from the danger we were currently trapped in. She was still unconscious by now, I was certain…

"Connor!" I opened my eyes again as my brother called out my name.

"Murph!" I shouted back, pulling myself to my feet. My heartbeat hammering in my ears, I ran to where my brother was trying to help our mortally wounded father.

"Take me to him!" Da wheezed out desperately to us.

Murphy took his arm and hoisted it around his shoulders as I did the same with his other arm, supporting the older man's weight with our own. Our father directed us to where the Roman himself sat, stoic and solemn in his chair with a record playing at his side. He said nothing to us, only staring with a blank, dull expression.

"I'll see you…in a minute, Louie." The Roman only nodded in response as I glared at him with venomous rage. My father panted out as he weakly rose up his gun one last time and killed the man who started it all.

Then, he couldn't stand anymore as he slumped to the ground despite mine and Murphy's attempts to keep him up.

"No, Da! No, please. God, no." He couldn't leave now. Not before meeting his granddaughters…

"Look! Look, boys." Our father gasped out in wonder. We both looked up to the cloudy sky, searching for what he saw. "It's so beautiful. It's a beautiful day."

"No, Da." I repeated to him, tears stinging my eyes.

"It is, Da. It is." Murphy sobbed at my side, accepting that it was time for our father to go. And I had to accept it, too.

"It is beautiful, Da." I began to choke up as my father closed his eyes and took one last breath.

As I blinked back my tears, I noticed a familiar photograph lying by his head… A black-and-white photo of our mother Annabelle holding me and my brother when we were newborn infants…

Reaching over with my gloved hand, I picked it up and gripped it with my fingers as I stood up. My shoulder throbbed with the pain of the bullet and I began to hear the approaching sirens as I helped Murph to his feet.

We trudged through the house, stopping to gather up the girls. The photograph was in my pants pocket, with my arms holding a shaking Isabella and Murphy cradling a tired Delilah. The scene before us was of the FBI and SWAT police teams surrounding us from every angle, with nowhere to escape.

Well, we had retrieved the girls back, but at the cost of losing our father forever… Neither of us said a word as we turned from one another, allowing our backs to almost touch and clutching the child we were holding extra close.

Tears continued to burn my eyes at the thought of Danielle awakening in the hospital to the news of me and Murphy being arrested. And I considered the realistic possibility of her leaving me and regretting to agree at the idea of becoming my wife. If she wanted to leave me and take the girls with her, I would accept that and wouldn't hold her at fault for it. She had nearly died because of her connection to me and my brother. Our enemies had been hidden in the shadows and they had figured out how much Murphy and I loved her and our daughters…

The police continued to hold us at bay as we finally surrendered to them for the sake of our lives in addition to our physical well-being.

_I'm sorry, Danielle. Please forgive me, my love. I've failed you as your hero, your Lion… And my pride has been broken._

.

.

_Dani's POV:_

I could hear my heartbeat again, the numbing sensation of the ether medicine wearing off. The faint beeping nearby made me aware that I was no longer trapped in my bathtub…

Memories of Connor holding me tightly and sobbing my name as I was potentially dying in his arms… The smothering blackness that drowned me and carried my soul to Death's door…

Fresh oxygen traveled down my throat as I took a deep breath, trying to break through the surface of heavy sedation. Then, the sound of the girls' cries for help echoed through my subconscious, forcing my eyes open and my lungs to beg for more air…

From my blurry vision, I could see the lights on the ceiling above me and sound of movement by my bedside alerted me to pay attention. Why was I only able to see from my right eye? The left side of my vision was completely black; no shapes or patterns to indicate anything that was happening…

"Dani, its okay. You're in the hospital." A female voice with a Southern accent informed me in a gentle tone.

"Eunice?" I rasped out, my voice croaky and unfamiliar. "What…what the hell happened? Where are the girls?" As that question came out of my mouth, I sat up despite the wave of dizziness washing over me.

"They're on their way back here right now. Connor and Murphy were able to get them back safe and sound, honey." The light redhead patted my hand as she stood by my bed. Her eyes held a sort of sadness that meant she had more she needed to tell me.

"Eunice, why can't I see out of my eye?" A sob began choking me up as she sat on the edge of the bed and held my hand.

"Sweetie…the doctor said that the man who attacked you did too much damage for them to heal your eye. There…there's nothin' they can do."

"So the girls are gonna have a half-blind woman for a mother?" My voice went up an octave as Eunice wrapped her arms around me and permitted me to cry into her shoulder.

"Oh, sweetie. Its gonna be okay. You're everything to those girls and I know Connor loves you as much as any man could possibly love a woman." I released myself from her hold as she looked me square in the eye. "You shoulda seen him when the doctor told us the news about your eye. I don't think I've ever seen a man punch a damn wall before. Nearly scared me and you know that don't happen very often."

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips at the knowledge that Connor still wanted me as his wife despite my semi-disability to see. Then, my heart sped up at the sound of small footsteps squeaking down the hallway.

"Mommy?" I recognized Isabella's voice when looked up to see Dolly and Duffy leading them inside the room.

"Girls!" I nearly shouted in sudden happiness as they both ran up to me and scrambled onto my bed. "Oh, my God! My babies!" Overjoyed sobs choked me as my daughters held onto me tightly; planting little kisses on my cheeks. "I'll never leave you two out of my sight again!"

"Mama, why does your eye have an ouchy on it?" Izzy asked, gently placing her small finger onto my right eyelid.

"Because…because I can't see out of it anymore, baby." Tears came to my eyes as the girls leaned on each of my sides.

"Its okay, Mommy. Izzy and me can help you walk and stuff." Delilah smiled softly at me despite her own tears welling up.

"Girls, do you know where your daddy and uncle Muffy are?" I whispered to them, trying to keep the worry out of my tone.

"The policemen took them away in their cars. They took them to jail." Izzy told me, her blue eyes alight with sorrow.

"Why, Mommy? All they did was save us from the bad guys." Dee questioned me, her voice full of naïve innocence that broke my heart.

"I…I don't know why, baby." I sighed out my answer despite the guilt of lying to them.

"Mommy, guess what. Daddy and Uncle Muffy showed us the prayer they do. They showed me and Dee how to say it." Izzy smiled up at me and looked over to her sister.

"Really? Can you show Mommy how to say it?" I wiped away more tears as the girls smiled at one another.

"And…Shepherds we shall be." Izzy began.

"For thee…my Lord, for thee." Dee followed suit, glancing at Izzy for help. They started reciting the rest of the prayer in unison.

"Power hath des—scended... forth from thy hand. That our feet may…may swiftly carry out thy command. So we shall…flow a river forth to thee. And teeming with souls shall it ever be." They both stopped before reaching the conclusion in Latin.

"The rest is kinda weird and the words are too hard to say. But Daddy said we can get it with more practice." Izzy explained proudly, gripping my hand with her tiny fingers.

"Mama, did Daddy ask you to marry him yet?" Dee asked with obvious curiosity.

Only then did I feel the weight of the ring on my finger and felt the love for Connor Liam MacManus increase more than ever in my heart. "Yes, he did, baby. I guess he must really love me, then, huh?"

"Yes he does, Mama." Both of them spoke at the same as if speaking from the same mind.

"Alright, I'll have to take your word for it." I hugged them both to me in a tight vice, never wanting to let them go again.

I saw Eunice, Duffy and Dolly smile at our reunion, but I couldn't ignore the cloud of unanswered questions hovering in the room. As soon as I was discharged, I was going to find my soon-to-be husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law and figure out a hell of a plan for what was to happen next.

And God help whoever dared to try and stop me…


	17. Seven Devils

_Dani's POV:_

After three agonizing days of slow recuperation, blood tests and secret conspiring with Eunice, I was finally discharged from the hospital, anxious to make contact with Connor and Murphy to let them know I was alright and healing.

Initially, when I was able to see my face in the mirror for the first time, it was difficult to hide my reaction of shock and slight disgust at the large red scar that ran across my eye, from the eyebrow down to the top of my cheek. The green color of my right iris held the permanent gray fog of blindness, never able to be removed.

However, I refused to let this disfigurement pull me down. I had taught the girls to never judge people by appearance and that true beauty lay inside the heart.

"Mommy, you're the prettiest out of all the other moms from school. Lots of them have wrinkles." Izzy had told me when their favorite nurse, Kelly, presented my face in the reflection of a small mirror.

During those three long days, I had called the girls' school to let them know I had to move immediately following my near-death injury and needed to get my daughters away from Boston as soon as possible. When the principal offered to set me up with police protection, I turned him down and informed him of my connections to the local Boston Police Department and that I had friends there who could help me.

And I made the heartbreaking call to Doc, telling him that I had to leave town with the girls, thanking him immensely for providing me with a job to support myself as a single mother and offering me comfort when all the secrets over the past six years threatened to make me insane. The kind elderly man was sad to hear that I had to leave, but he told me that he was happy about my engagement to Connor and wished the best for us in the years to come.

Now, we all ended up on the coast on the very edge of Massachusetts, where Eunice and I, along with the girls, were being escorted to a marina by none other than the boys' uncle, Sibeal MacManus, Noah's older brother. As it turned out, he had secretly been working with the organization founded by my late uncle that supported the Saints' work of vigilantism and he arranged for us women to be transported safely out of the USA to avoid FBI prosecution. Eunice was obviously at risk for going rogue, but I also didn't want to risk Social Services taking the girls away from me since I had previously given the Saints shelter in my home whilst they were listed as suspects in Father McKinney's murder.

Luckily, we didn't have to explain all that had happened to Sibeal. I was devastated hearing about Noah's death, but the gentle Irish priest assured that the boys made it out of the Roman's alive, but were taken into custody before being sentenced to a lengthy prison term in the Hoag Maximum Security penetentiary.

"They're both non-extradition countries. Passports under all o' yer names. Money, contacts, and maps to yer final destinations." Sibeal informed us as we got closer to the boat deck where we were supposed to meet another man to discuss our plans.

"Which are?" Eunice asked him pointedly, chewing on her gum.

"Fer you, Miss Bloom, the monastery of St. Escazu." He told her, straightening the black fedora on his head.

"A monastery?" We both asked him at once, stepping onto the wooden deck, near the doorway of its little shack.

"Monasteries enjoy the protection of the Holy Sea. They're not even subject to local laws, searches, etc. A sanctuary within a sanctuary." He assured us as we made it to the other side of the tiny shack-house. "He's going to take ya by boat to a private airstrip down the shore where we've arranged fer yer travel…off the books, o' course." He spoke directly to Eunice this time, his face etched as if he was hiding something.

The girls remained quiet at my side, tired and confused about this whole thing. Noticing the bright light of the sea outside, I couldn't help but look through my good eye at the other man sitting near the edge of the dock, a fishing pole in his hands and his body sitting contentedly in a lounge chair. A spark of recognition came to my mind, but I concentrated more on what Eunice was asking Sibeal.

"Father, I ain't one to look a gift horse, but you still haven't told us how you're involved in all this. And the second we need to disappear, you show up with plans and paperwork in hand." She paused for a second to resume her noisy gum chewing. "Its like you knew before we did."

"The Lord works in mysterious ways, my dears. We wanted you both to know that you're not alone. We have many resources." Sibeal had a nervous tremor to his voice that made me certain there was something we needed to know.

"You keep saying 'we'. Now, who's 'we'?" I spoke up, getting straight to the point.

"You girls ready to go?" A different voice asked from the deck outside. A distinctive voice I was sure I'd never hear again…

_No…_

My mouth dropped open in silent disbelief as the girls left my side to check out the drinks in the cooler by the table. Eunice coolly removed her sunglasses as we both stared at Sibeal with angry suspicion. I walked out to the deck first, with my redhead friend following close behind, my heart pumping with energized fury, nearly boiling over. I failed to miss it when Sibeal silently crossed himself, praying quickly that mine and Eunice's reactions would blow over soon.

Not likely…

We came closer to the man in the chair and our conclusion was confirmed. My uncle, FBI Agent Paul Maximillian Smecker, who I had thought to be dead for the past six years of a heart attack, was alive all this time…and chose to make me believe that I had lost another beloved family member.

He who had taken me in after my parents had died… Who had supported me after I made the fateful choices that made me a stronger person and eventually the lover of a Saint and the mother of two girls…

Eunice and I stood next to each other, waiting for him to acknowledge our presence. He silently looked us both over, especially at our new appearances. In addition to the scar on my left eye, my long straight brown hair had been cut to reach just below my shoulders and now held a dark-red hue. Eunice had cut off her lovely orange-red locks to a short, spiky 'do and changed the color to charcoal black.

"Oh…I'm not sure I'm in love with those new looks of yours, Betty Boop and Marion Ravenwood." He remarked sarcastically, turning his gaze back from us to the water in front of him. In any other situation, I would have been flattered to be compared to the spunky heroine from _Raiders of the Lost Ark_, but I couldn't find the humor in his statement.

"We…we attended your funeral, you son of a bitch!" Eunice shouted out for us. I was really too furious and overwhelmed to speak.

"I know." Uncle Paul said, shaking his head in somewhat false remorse. "Loved your shoes. The skirt was a little risqué for a funeral, but who am I to begrudge someone their sense of individuality?" I assumed he was talking about Eunice.

"What is this?!" I found my voice, loud and reckless, not regarding who could've been around to hear.

"Keep it down." My uncle attempted to defuse my rising temper. "You don't wanna scare away my little fishies."

From my line of sight, I saw Eunice spit her gum out into the water and turn sharply to Paul. "Fuck your fish! What the hell is going on here?!"

"You are both exposed, ladies." My uncle stood up from his chair and faced us furious women. "You're a very clever little girl, Eunice. That's why I chose you. Now, its time for you to put your thinking cap on." He mocked her Southern accent in that last sentence before turning his eyes over to me. "Danielle, we got all the financial backing and protection of the biggest corporation in the world, and two CEOs worthy of the public trust. Now, what do you think is going on here?"

"You wanna get them out." Eunice figured it out before I could get the words straightened in my mind.

"I wanna get them out, get them back to work. Take this thing to a whole new level. Where are they being held?" Paul asked us, knowing we knew the answer.

"They're at the Hoag, where their father was held before Yakavetta sent him after us way back when." I told him, feeling betrayed and ashamed.

"The Hoag ain't just any prison." Eunice piped up, her voice calmer from the frustration of a few minutes ago.

"Wrong. That's exactly what it is. Just a prison, run by men. Men, as we all know, are fallible." Paul remarked coldly, but with a boasting air to his voice.

"Well, whatever we do, we gotta do it quick." Eunice spoke matter-of-factly, a small smile on her face.

"Those boys aren't safe in there." Fear rose inside me for Connor and Murphy's safety.

"Oh, I don't know, girls. A little birdie tells me they're gonna be just fine." My uncle was confident as he said that, smirking in a way that failed to lessen my internal rage and worry.

"Oh…Christ, help me." I whispered up to the heavens, hoping to have a sign shown to me in any shape or form.

.

.

"Uncle Paul, before we do anything about the Saints getting out, you need to know something important." I informed him as we sat down inside the small shack. The girls sat in the nearby corner, sharing one of their coloring books with one another.

"Is it about that emerald skating rink on your finger, sweetheart?" There was honestly no fooling my wicked-smart uncle.

"Yes…the first thing we are gonna do when Connor and Murphy are out of prison is that I'm marrying Connor in Ireland. He knows the girls and I will be safe there. We can get set up with the cottage they shared with Noah over the years." I was starting to have some difficulty grasping the whole idea of this plan.

"Look, Dani. I know it was wrong of me to keep the fact that I was still alive from you, but I just couldn't risk word getting out of our connection with this whole Saints-vigilante bullshit. And since you had the girls…the whole problem just escalated. When you refused to have the doctors set up a paternity test with your pregnancy and the whole news story of your rape…" His tone of voice held a rare sound of regret. "And then I heard about the girls getting taken and your hospital visit. I never stopped keeping an eye on you from afar, Dani."

"I know you did it for the right reasons, Uncle Paul. I'm sure this is exactly how Connor felt when he found out about Izzy and Dee. He wasn't happy that his own brother and I kept them from his knowledge, but he came to understand that it was protect everybody involved. And I gotta say that he fell in love with both of those girls the second he saw them." A bright smile formed on my face for the first time in days. "And…for all I know, I could be pregnant again right now."

"Well, what's the first actual step of your plan, missy? Are you off to see your man in prison before you head off on your epic journey to Ireland?"

"What do you think?" My smile grew wider, confidence flowing through my veins. Uncle Paul only chuckled as I went to talk to Sibeal about traveling arrangements to the Hoag…

.

.

_Connor's POV:_

Murphy and I were still confined to our beds in the prison infirmary, still wounded from our gun battle in the Roman's greenhouse. A guard kept vigilant watch over us, keeping both my brother and me wisely away from the other prisoners. Our dear comrade Romeo lay in a coma, breathing out of a tube and deeply unconscious in his machine powered bed. We prayed as much as we could for his recovery…

And speaking of recovery, my thoughts couldn't help but wander to how Dani was handling everything. Did she know where Murphy and I were? Did she intend to contact me anytime soon and let us know of her condition?

Over the past few days since our transportation to the Hoag, all we had been able to do was lie in bed and do our best to keep from going mad in this strange solitary confinement. The bizarre thing was that there was a whole crowd of protestors outside the prison gates, shouting excessively for us to be set free, and they apparently supported the work we were doing, cleaning criminal filth off the streets.

We both looked out the barred window of the infirmary room, looking down at the parting sea of people and picket signs. "Jesus, Murph. I didn't think so many people would be vouchin' fer us."

"It looks like they're gettin' even crazier now. Somebody's passin' through like Moses an' the Red Sea." He pointed down to the small figure moving through the ocean of bodies. Their voices were increasing in volume.

"I wonder who they're cheerin' fer. An' why is that person comin' through the gate?" Murphy and I each glanced at each other for answers.

"Can ye take a wild guess on who could be brave enough to venture into a shithole of a prison like this, filled with rapists and murderers, just to see us?" Murphy asked me, his dark brows arching up.

"Aye, I believe I can, me dear brother." I sighed out gruffly, mentally preparing myself for the guard to announce our visitor.

"MacManus, you got yourselves a pretty package." The uniformed guard told us from the other side of the door.

"Can you let me inside, please? They won't hurt me. I'll be fine." A gentle, determined voice inquired the guard, begging to see us. "And would you mind if I could talk with them privately?"

"Alright, Miss Smecker. I've always been a sucker for women in distress." He chuckled as the barred iron doors began to groan, opening forcefully. "I'll give you five minutes."

"Thank you, sir." The sweet female voice responded to him as he closed the door and shut her inside the cell with us.

I turned toward her away from the window, as did my brother, but her face was halfway obscured in the shadows. "Danielle…ya came to see us, darlin'." The joy rose up in my chest as she took a couple of steps closer to us, stepping into the light and revealing her face.

"Oh, shit." Murphy seethed in a whisper when he laid eyes on what the Roman's henchmen had done to her.

"I know, its not pleasant to see." She held her arms in front of her chest, defying whatever Murphy was thinking about the scar on her eye.

"No, Dani. I'm real sorry that this happened to ya. I'd rather have gotten a hundred more fuckin' bullets put in me than see ya suffer any more than ya already had to. And that's a fuckin' fact, me lil' sister." My brother walked straight up to her and enveloped her in a tight embrace.

"I know, Murphy. Its just gonna take some getting used to, people reacting to seeing me like this." She replied, her voice empty of the hard tone she possessed just a moment ago. "And before you ask, the girls are safe, with your uncle Sibeal, who's arranged to take us to Ireland and wait for you to get out of here."

I stood up from my bed, ignoring the fact that both Murphy and I were shirtless in front of her, wearing only the pants of our prison uniforms. "Love, are ye sure you're alright with waitin' fer us to come back? What makes ya so sure?"

"Well…" She began, huffing out a sigh. "Eunice and I had the surprise of finding out a very well kept secret. It turns out that my Uncle Paul has been alive all these years and is working some big-power people to break you out of here so you can continue doing what you do best…but I told him about us wanting to get married and settled in first once you get out."

The lovely woman walked up to me and enfolded her arms around my neck, pressing her lips onto the Virgin Mary protectorate on my throat. "Hmm…me love. Ya don't know how happy I am to hear ya say that. I was afraid you'd wanna leave me after all this."

"Are you crazy, Connor? I'm not leaving you. We were all brought back together for a reason and I'm very aware that being your wife will have its risks and hardships, but I wanna face them with you." She took my scruffy face in between her petite hands. "Come on, give me some credit. I'm your faithful lioness, after all."

"Aye, that ye are, Danielle." I growled playfully as I said her name.

"So…what do you think of my new, odd appearance? I've got different hair now…and I know the scar is real ugly." I pulled her with me as I went to sit on my bed. Settling her down to sit on my leg, I tenderly traced my fingertip along the raw skin of her eyelid as she closed it, allowing me to trace the path down her cheek.

Leaning in close, I whispered in her ear only for my future bride to hear. "_Did my heart love 'til now? Forswear its sight. For I never saw true beauty 'til this night._"

"Well, well, Shakespeare. I'm impressed with your sudden romantic intentions." Dani ran her fingers along the gauze bandage covering my shoulder.

"I'll have to show ya how grateful I am that me Ma an' teachers insisted we learn about the great Shakespeare in school. Which tale o' his do ya find most appealin', me lady?"

"Hmm…I'm more of a Hamlet-type of girl." She pulled my face closer so she could whisper in my ear. "But, you're welcome to educate me about whatever you want after we become man and wife."

"You're a sly lass, Lady MacBeth." I told her as our lips united, letting me pull her into my lap and dreading the approaching seconds when the guard came to escort her out.

"I wish you guys could come back with us. But, I'll wait for you as long as it takes, I promise." She stood up on her feet as Murphy came up behind her and kissed the top of her head.

"Before ya go, I want ya to keep somethin' safe fer us." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the cherished black-and-white photograph, handing it to her with care. "This woman is our Ma, Annabelle. It has her address on the back of it. Once ya get to Ireland and ya show her that photo, she'll know who ya are, Danielle. She'll know that I intend to make ye mine."

"And we know she'll like ye, Dani." My brother grinned down at her reassuringly, as Dani held the picture in her fingers and smiled with quiet agreement.

**AN: Okay, I admit I'm not too happy with how this one turned out, but I wanted to end this one on a positive note before the holidays :D**

**And in case you didn't know, the quote Connor says to Dani is courtesy of William Shakespeare, from the famous "Romeo & Juliet", spoken by the hero Romeo Montague to his beloved lady… And if you wanna see Sean Patrick Flanery recite some 'Hamlet', check out the movie, 'Best Men'. You'll see where I got inspiration from... *evil laugh*  
><strong>


	18. The Galway Girl

_Dani's POV:_

The flight to Ireland scheduled for me and the girls was to take off at 2:00 in the afternoon the day after I first visited Connor and Murphy. At around 11:00 AM, I took the chance to talk with them again in the infirmary before having to depart from the boys.

Initially, I was nervous about meeting their mother. And since this would be most likely the last time I'd be able to actually talk with my fiancé and soon-to-be brother-in-law, I released my worries to them.

"Guys, she's never met me before. And I'm pretty sure she's not gonna know how to feel when some strange woman shows up at her doorstep with two little girls in tow and wearing a ring on a very important finger." I held up my hand with Connor's ring on it for emphasis.

"Dani." Connor began, taking ahold of my hand and kissing it. "Trust us. Our Ma'll love ya. The thing is ya just gotta be prepared. The first thing she might do is pepper ya with some questions about me an' Murph. But, they're gonna be questions that not just anyone would know the answer to."

"Okay. Like she's gonna ask what your middle names and date of birth are, things like that?" I asked him as we sat side by side on his bed.

"Aye, but Murph and I'll give ya a quick pop quiz before ya go." Connor smiled in a teasing manner as he tenderly held my small hand in both of his. "And, I'm gonna miss yer beautiful chocolate locks, me love." He reached over with one hand and twirled the end of my dark-red ponytail with his fingers.

"There is such a thing as dye remover, Connor." I grinned sadly as I sat myself closer to him, reaching up with my hand to run my fingers through his dirty blond spikes upon his head.

"Alright, are ya done makin' gooey eyes at each other?" Murphy asked us, walking toward the bed with a humorous light to his fierce blue eyes.

"Fuck ya, Murph. This might be the last time I get to see me future wife fer awhile. 'Specially since… since we came so fuckin' close to losin' her." Connor growled out the end of his sentence as he glared at his twin brother.

"I didn't mean it like that, Conn." Murphy started to say before I interrupted him.

"Guys, I'm sorry I put you through that. When that thug came into my room…my first instinct was to attack him. My pistol was up on a shelf in my closet so the girls wouldn't find it, so I wasn't able to get to it. So…I literally leaped at him, letting angry maternal nature take over." Connor enfolded his arm around my shoulder, holding my hand tightly while Murphy sat on my other side, listening with intensity. "I…I was able to scratch his eye out with the ring, trying to weaken him so I could get his taser away from him…but he used it on me instead." Connor let out a furious huff of breath as I continued my tale. "Even while his eye socket bled out, I couldn't get to the door to protect the girls before I couldn't even move…"

Pathetic sobs made their way up my throat as Murphy looked at me with a mixture of pure sorrow and empathy. "I wish we could kill those motherfuckers all over again." His unique, husky voice held a sound of rage that made me slightly shake in my spot.

"Danielle, please don't cry. They can't harm ya or the girls anymore. I'm just thankful that yer alive an' well." My Irishman pulled me into his arms and held me close as I forced down the approaching urge to cry like a weak little damsel. "An' after we finally get married, I'm not ever gonna be lettin' the girls or me wife outta me sight."

"Miss Smecker, your time is up." We all looked up at the sound of the guard's voice. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Warden's orders."

"I have to go, guys." I reluctantly freed myself of Connor's hold, but pulled him up to stand with me. "You take care of each other. Watch your backs and don't do anything stupid, like getting yourselves into fights." I glanced in between both boys, trying to make my point.

"We promise, love." Connor brushed my scarlet ponytail over my shoulder and tenderly held my face in his gentle hands. "You be safe on yer journey, and send the girls their Da's love. Tell 'em I'm thinkin' about 'em all the time." He smiled a sad grin before leaning down and giving me a long, overdue kiss of passion. "Me gorgeous Galway Girl." He purred in my ear, so low only I could hear. "Ye show Ireland what yer made of."

"I will, my Lion." I took his tattooed hand into mine before raising it to my lips and kissing the Latin _Veritas_ along his finger.

"Don't ferget me, lil' sis." Murphy tapped me on the shoulder, causing me to turn around and see him smiling down at me too.

"Bye, Murphy." I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck in a hug. "You're the big brother I always wanted and I love you so much." Another sob choked me, making my voice crack.

"I love ye, too, Dani. Ye make me brother so happy and I'll be forever grateful to ya fer savin' our lives in more ways than one." He enfolded me in a protective brotherly embrace, one of comfort and reassurance. "We'll pray fer yer safe travels." Murphy released me from his hug and dug into his pants pocket for something. "And just so we know its in a safe place…we'd like ya to hold onto this fer us." He held up a black beaded rosary. "Our Da used it to help lead us to find the girls…and we think he'd want his daughter-in-law to keep it preserved fer him."

"Oh, Murphy." Before I could say anything more, he looped the beaded string around my neck and adjusted the crucifix to where it hung down to my stomach.

"Now, ye go an' take care of it fer us. We know yer an amazin' woman and a great mother to the girls. You'll be in our Ma's good graces in no time." He kissed my forehead chastely before the door groaned open with the guard's entrance.

"Goodbye, my Irishmen." I whispered to both of them, tears blurring the vision in my good eye.

As I stepped away from Murphy, Connor came forward and looked me square in the eye, his handsome face drawn with a melancholy expression as the guard beckoned me to follow him out of the cell. My future husband placed his inked hand onto my cheek, caressing it with unmistakable care. Without saying a word, he let his actions speak what he was feeling: He leaned down to my face again and gently pressed his lips to my scar, first to the top where the rawness began on my forehead, then very lightly on my eyelid, until finally kissing the end of the path at the middle of my cheek.

When he pulled away from me, still keeping his hand on my cheek, I saw the look in the blue eye of his that I could see…and I understood what he was saying to me. All I could do was respond back.

"I love you, too, Connor." The declaration came out in a choked whisper. "Just come back to me safely."

.

.

Only mere hours later, the girls and I were in our car from our airplane flight to Ireland, escorted by a private driver, who it actually turned out had known Connor and Murphy growing up. He was a charming man with the accent and friendly attitude, introducing himself as Daniel O'Malley. We both had a good chuckle when we found out we bore a different version of the same name.

"So, yer the pretty lass Connor wouldn't stop goin' on about night after night at the Anvil? Well, just lookin' at ya, I can see that yer just as lovely as he let on." He glanced through the rearview mirror at the girls, who had fallen asleep in the backseat. I sat in the passenger seat, getting a good view of the magnificent landscape of Clifden, a town just a few miles from the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean.

We drove down the main road of the village, the radio playing a soft song by the Pogues, "Love You 'Till the End", which made it difficult not to think of Connor. "Um…Daniel, would you mind if I changed the station?"

"O' course not. Feel free to whatever makes ya comfortable, Danielle." He kindly informed me.

"You can call me Dani. Everyone does." I couldn't but smile back at the boys' childhood friend. This gave me confidence that I could fit into this new life in their homeland.

"Alright, Dani." He released a deep quiet laugh as I reached over to the radio knob and switched it to another channel. "Ahh… I see Conn finally gotcha that ring, huh?"

He glanced over at the emerald speckled engagement ring on my left hand as I pulled it away from the radio. "Uh…yes, he asked me to marry him. I hope I kinda…have your blessing, since I've seen a lot of movies where the best friend doesn't really like the woman his best friend loves."

"No, are ya kiddin'? I told Connor that if he really loved ya, he shoulda thrown ya over his damn shoulder and stole ya away here. Ye have me blessin' as his friend, don't ya worry yerself over it, darlin'." He allowed the song 'Galway Girl' to fill in the silence of the car as he turned his eyes back to the road.

"Thank you…Danny." I laughed to myself, remembering my sleeping daughters in the backseat.

"Those are some pretty wee ones ya got there." His gentle tone of voice combined with his characteristic brogue reminded me immensely of the man I loved, still trapped in prison.

"Thank you." I paused briefly before deciding to tell him. Even though I had just met this man, I knew I could consider him as the first friend I made here in this mysterious country. "Before Connor left America and came back here, I found out I was pregnant…with twins. But, it wasn't from when I was raped…" I noticed his eyes widen in silent shock when I revealed that horrid twist, causing me to stop talking.

"Aye, Conn an' Murph told me about how they found ya. I'm awful sorry that happened, Danielle." He used my full name to show his sincerity. "No woman should ever have to go through that."

"Its okay. I've managed to put it behind me, although I know some scars never heal despite the years passing by." I reached into my purse and pulled out the photograph of Annabelle MacManus with the babies Connor and Murphy.

"So…ya knew the babies were Connor's?" Daniel asked me, clearing his throat.

"Yes, I never doubted it for one second. Then, I had Murphy keep it a secret after the boys revealed who they were to the public…and I couldn't risk making them stay in the country long enough to be caught by the police. I know it was wrong on many levels to keep the knowledge of being a father from him. But…I kept hoping that they'd come back when everything quieted down. And…six years later, here I am, engaged to him and happy that the girls love those men to death."

"Well, judgin' by the way those two were bickerin' earlier, I can tell which one o' them resembles their Da the most." He smiled as I angled the rearview mirror toward Isabella. "Well, lass, we're just about to ol' Annabelle's house." He announced as he pulled out off the asphalt street and onto a wide dirt path before coming to a slow stop about ten yards away from a comfortable looking house.

"Izzy, Dee." I turned around in my seat, crooning out to my daughters. "We're here at your grandma's house."

"I'll get yer bags outta the trunk." Daniel said, opening his door and getting out.

"Mommy?" Isabella yawned while Delilah rubbed her eyes. "Is Grandma gonna like us?"

"I hope Daddy and Uncle Muffy come back soon. I miss them, Mama." Delilah spoke up tiredly, unfastening her seat-belt.

"We can try to call them as soon as we get settled in, okay baby?" I assured my youngest daughter, thankful that the infirmary guard had given me the long distance phone number for the Hoag.

"Okay. I wanna go meet Grandma." Dee piped up as she followed Izzy out of the car.

I opened my own door and got out, walking toward the trunk to help Daniel with our luggage.

"Its okay, I got it." I told the friendly Irish driver. "Thanks for the drive. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

"Aye, no problem, Dani. I can tell a good person when I see one, and I say that you're the perfect woman fer Clifden's Connor MacManus." He smiled brightly before taking my hand and shaking it.

"If I call him tonight, I'll be sure to tell him that I met you." I grinned back, turning back to the girls who were helping each other get their backpacks on. "Girls, you wanna say 'thank you' to Daniel?"

"Thank you, sir. You're very nice." Izzy's azure eyes sparkled with childlike innocence that was still kept safe despite the dangerous predicament they had escaped from just days ago.

"Mister, do they have leprechauns here?" Dee asked, her jade eyes alight with curiosity.

"Hmm…maybe, if ya look fer 'em long enough, lil' one." Daniel answered her in a fake, sly whisper, appeasing her with the joking myth.

"Wow…" Dee was awed. "I told you they were real, Izzy."

"No they are not, Dee." Izzy scowled in defiance to her sister, who threatened to show her the puppy-dog lip of sympathy. "Oh, quit pouting, you big baby."

"I'm not a baby, Isabella!" It was evident that Dee had inherited my temper and picked up some of her uncle's angry facial mannerisms, squinting her eyes and setting her little mouth into a hard line.

"Girls, stop it now." I ordered them firmly, using my motherly tone of control.

Daniel only laughed as he walked back to the driver's side of his car and gave us one last wave. "Ya oughta come see us at the Anvil sometime, lass. The whole town's been dyin' to meet Connor's beloved Danielle Smecker."

"I'll remember to do that. Thanks again, Daniel." I waved back to him as he gave me a final farewell smirk before getting back into his car and driving off down the road we had just come from.

After we made it up the small hill to the house with our bags, I knocked on the door as loud as I could, seeing that there wasn't a doorbell.

"Whoever ya are, I'm not buyin' shit from ya!" A raspy female voice yelled from the other side of the wooden door. "Get off me porch before I blow yer fuckin' head off!"

At last, the door opened as I felt the girls clutch onto my legs for protection. Before me stood Annabelle MacManus herself, her orange-red hair down to her shoulders. Her face changed from anger to confusion when she saw me standing in her doorway with two little girls hanging onto me.

"Um…Hi. Ar—are you Annabelle MacManus?" I started first, wanting to slap myself for asking the obvious.

"Aye, that's me. Are ya one o' those stupid American tourists who gets lost all the time?" The woman asked me, her eyes taking in my clothes and items of baggage.

"I…I am American…but I'm not exactly a tourist, Mrs. MacManus." I stuttered, struggling to get the right words out. Desperate to get this meeting away from the awkwardness, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the picture of her and the boys back when they were merely newborns.

"Where…where in the hell did ya get that picture?" Her mouth nearly dropped open as her blue eyes began to glow with distrust. "Are ya part o' the police who put me dear sons in jail?"

"Ma'am, please let me explain. I came all this way to meet you…and I'm not just some random American stranger and I'm not part of the Police. I'm not asking for money or anything of that sort, I swear." I took a deep breath as she held the door open and allowed me to continue. "My name is Danielle Kristina Smecker, niece of the FBI Agent Paul Smecker. Six years ago, your sons saved my life…and I fell in love with your son Connor Liam MacManus, and he fell in love with me."

"Wait, yer…" She began to say, her eyes filling with understanding of some past memories she may have been having. But, I wanted to get my story out.

"Look." I reached into my jacket and pulled out the crucifix Murphy had given me. "Your other son Murphy Aeden MacManus gave me this after your husband Noah died." I used each name specifically so she would know that I wasn't lying. "And, after they came back here six years ago, I gave birth to Connor's twin daughters, Isabella Marie and Delilah Anne MacManus." I gestured to the little girls peeking out from behind me. "And…the big catch here…is that Connor asked me to marry him during the time when he and Murphy were recently back in the U.S. …and I accepted."

I held out the engagement ring for her to see. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph." She nearly whispered as she took a long observance of the jeweled band her son had given me to show the world that I was his. "So, you're the one an' only Dani I've heard so much about." Her lips pulled up into a bewildered smile before she took my hand and pulled me inside. The girls held onto my jacket as they followed me into the house. "Come in, then. Let's getcha outta this cold weather."

Her statement reminded me that it was now the month of October, only weeks before the boys' birthday, which was in November on Veterans' Day. Relief flowed through me as the warm environment of the house soothed me from my anxiety of meeting my future mother-in-law. As I heard the girls greet their grandmother with excited voices, I was curious about how this night would proceed as we got to know one another. _Wait until she hears about when I threw beer bottles at the boys…_

**AN: Just to let everyone know, I visualized Gerard Butler as Daniel. Its nice to have some inspiration, lol! Please review, and have a great New Years!**_  
><em>


	19. I'm Already There

**CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains a bit of racy dialogue and some sexual references.**

_Dani's POV:_

"So, let me get this straight: You tricked the boys into thinking you had shot yourself with Noah's gun over the phone?" I began giggling stupidly as Annabelle poured me a third shot of Guinness. I had never been a heavy drinker since I had turned 21, with only the occasional glass of wine after the girls went to bed to calm my nerves, but this whole night was one to surely celebrate.

"Aye, you shoulda heard their voices, dear Danielle. Murphy was on the verge o' flyin' his ass straight over here just to stop me from doin' it, and poor Conn was most likely havin' a heart attack." The MacManus matriarch poured herself another shot as I quickly downed my portion of alcohol, the bitter aftertaste slightly burning my throat.

"Annabelle…I gotta say that I was real nervous as all hell coming here to meet you. I figured you would've shot me on sight for taking Connor away from you." I failed to acknowledge the underlying darkness of my words, considering my recent near death experience.

"Oh, lass. Don't ya dare think of it that way. Ever since the boys were teenagers, I knew Conn would be the one most likely to settle down with a wife." She paused to take a quick drink. "And I have to be honest with ya, I've never seen a pair o' girls more adorable than lil' Isabella an' Delilah over there." She smiled with grandmotherly pride as we both sat at her kitchen table, getting to know each other as mother and daughter-in-law.

"Thank you. That really means a lot to me, Annabelle." I couldn't help the proud grin forming itself on my lips. "But…do you think I fit your ideal picture as Connor's bride?" A tremor of anxiety crept into my voice at the end of my question. "I mean, I already told you the whole back story of how I met Connor and Murphy and about the girls being born and all the secrets kept in all the whole shitty soap-opera spun melodramatic intentions." I took a brief break at the end of that statement, stopping myself before I started babbling. "Okay…sometimes I ramble when I get nervous. I'm sorry. I just need to know if I have your absolute approval to be your son's wife?"

"Well, I expect me future daughter-in-law to be hard workin', not a spoiled brat who hasn't earned her keep in life. And I can see that ya worked yer lil' arse off to raise those two wee ones on yer own, darlin'. I know from firsthand experience that raisin' twins without their Da isn't easy." Annabelle let out a cough after she stopped speaking.

I stood up onto my feet briefly from the chair to see the girls sitting on the couch in the living room, relaxing after the exhausting day of traveling. "Yeah, I guess that makes us both women in debt to good fortune."

The boys' mother raised her shot glass in the air, holding it up in my direction. "Here's to the men who loved us and left us."

"Cheers." We both gulped down a fourth shot of Guinness with the gumption of womenfolk who felt aged ahead of their time. "And Hail the Holy Virgin Mary, who gave us strength to be single mothers in a fucked up world."

"Hail Mary, full o' grace." Annabelle crossed herself as we both set our shot glasses down, linking one on top of the other.

"Amen." I whispered, slumping against the back of my chair, my ears buzzing with a reaction to the onslaught of an oncoming headache.

The phone began to ring, which definitely made me more alert to what was happening around the room. Annabelle went to the corded phone on the wall and picked it up by the second ring. "Who the hell is this, and what's yer fuckin' business to be callin' me?" She asked in a teasing tone, giving me a sideways wink.

A faint, deep sounding voice entered my ears from where my new "Mom" stood with the receiver close to her own ear. Both Izzy and Dee came into the room, wearing their favorite pajamas with slippers. I bent down and lifted Delilah into my lap, who settled herself against my shoulder.

"Mommy, is Grandma talking to Daddy on the phone?" Izzy asked as she pulled herself onto Annabelle's chair to sit down.

"Shhh, we'll have to wait and see what she says, baby." I told her, holding a finger to my lips.

"Oh, Connor… Aye, they all made it alright…They seem to be doin' well, no bruises or bleedin' as far as yer Ma can see… Oh, ya wanna talk to 'em?...O' course she's got me approval…"

Annabelle kept responding to my fiancé on the other end of the line with answers to his numerous questions. I was getting anxious to talk to him, wondering if he only had a limited time to talk on the phone according to the rules of the Hoag.

"I wanna talk to Daddy and Uncle Muffy." Dee raised her tired head off my shoulder, carefully straightening herself to release her small body off my lap. "Please, Grandma." The little-girl version of me went up to Annabelle and tugged on her apron.

The Irishwoman smiled down widely at the innocent waif at her feet and spoke again into the receiver. "Conn, there's somebody else who wants to talk to ya." She bent down and handed Delilah the phone, which my youngest daughter held close with her tiny hands.

"Hi, Daddy. I miss you. When are you coming here with Uncle Muffy?" She asked her father as I heard the distant sound of him laughing on the other end, delighted at the sound of her voice.

"I wanna talk, too." Isabella walked up to her sister and grabbed the opposite end of the phone, keeping a firm grip on it. "Hi, Daddy, I love you so very much. Grandma's very nice and made us weird smelling soup." Both girls kept tight holds on the phone, joining their heads together to listen close. "Yeah, Mommy's good. She's gonna make us go to bed soon."

I playfully stuck my tongue out at Izzy as she frowned in my direction. "Okay, Daddy. We love you and Uncle Muffy." Dee chirped out. "I think Mommy wants to talk to you…. 'Kay." She responded after a yawn overtook her voice. "Love you too, Daddy. Sweet dreams."

"Okay, girls. Go brush your teeth while Mama talks to your Daddy." I gently took the phone out of my daughters' determined hands. "I'll be there to tuck you in soon."

"Yes, Mommy." They both said at the same time, much like stereotypical twins. Both girls ran down the hallway toward the bathroom as I took a deep breath in preparation.

"Danielle." His voice said my name from the faraway confines of the prison. "Darlin', is that you?"

"Yes…Connor. Its…its your Galway Girl come home at last." A sob attempted to force its way out of my mouth, but I held it back for his sake.

"Love…Ya don't know what I'd give to be there with ya right now." Connor's words made me nod my head in fervent agreement.

"Yea…I wish you were here, too." A sly smile came to my lips as a cleverly seductive thought entered my mind. "I'm just gonna be lying all alone and cold in my bed…and in the meantime, I'll be searching through Clifden for another Irishman to hold me close."

"Aye? What would yer requirements be fer this fella to have the privilege o' bein' in yer bed?" I could hear the fake curiosity underneath the Irish brogue.

"Well…I imagine him with eyes as blue as the hottest flames, tattooed arms as strong as they are safe, the physicality of Adonis…and a gorgeous dimpled grin filled with boyish mischief." I sat myself onto the countertop, an old habit I had picked up while working at McGinty's.

"Wow…I definitely consider meself a lucky son of a bitch to hear words like that from yer wonderful lips, Danielle Kristina." He growled out my middle name in a lustful intonation.

"Well, the faster you get over here, the sooner you can find out what else my lips are capable of doing...and perhaps get another helping of my special American chocolate." I giggled like a silly schoolgirl at the crude innuendo I had just made to my husband-to-be. All I heard on the other end of the line was the faint noise of Murphy laughing and Connor coughing on some air that went down the wrong way. "This lass is gonna be lonely without her big, strong Lion to protect her." I raised my voice up an octave higher, exaggerating my helplessness to humor him.

"Yer me own personal temptress, aren't ya, Dani?" I heard a hint of irritation at the end of his sentence. That meant Murphy surely must be nearby, eavesdropping. "I just can't wait 'till I can make ye mine, love. We can all finally be a family."

Getting a strange feeling that we only had a few minutes left to talk, I changed the subject. "Are you guys okay? You haven't been getting into any fights…have you?"

My brow rose in question, even though he could only hear my voice. "Well…maybe, maybe not. Murph and I can take care o' ourselves. We're big boys."

"Connor." I said his name in a stern tone. "Please tell me you didn't."

"Will it matter to ya if I have a good excuse fer it?" His rough brogue quickly became defensive as he continued. "One o' the other prisoners made a nasty comment about you and the warden, and how ya were sleepin' with 'im to be able to come visit us when ya did."

"Connor Liam MacManus, those men don't know shit about me. It doesn't matter what those scumbags think. What does matter is that I love you and _only you_. No other man can make me feel things I've never felt before like you can. Do you hear me, Irishman?" I asked, nearly angry at him for making such a fuss over some bastard making fun of me.

"Well, it wasn't just me, love. Murph wasn't happy about what that motherfucker said about ya either. I was only tryin' to defend yer honor, Dani. 'Cause yer a lady who deserves respect." I heard his voice deepen even more with conviction at what he was saying.

"Do you have any idea on when you're coming back here? The girls are getting anxious." I hastily changed the subject again.

"No, we haven't heard from any o' Smecker's people yet. But I'm comin' there as fast I can, darlin'. It may take us days, weeks…even months to get back to Ireland as far as I know." Connor's voice dripped with slight depression. "I…I have to go, love. This might be the only phone call they'll let me and Murph have. Just keep prayin' fer our return and I'll come back to ya."

"Okay." A tear ran down my cheek from my disfigured eye. "I love you, Lion."

"Murph says goodbye to ya too, Dani. I'll be thinkin' o' ya always 'til we're released outta this shithole. And ya know that I love ya, and I plan on showin' ya just how much when I get there." He chuckled in a mischievous way as I wiped away my tears.

"Good night, love." I gently mocked his accent as I bid him farewell, desperately wishing I didn't have to.

"G'night, me angel." He soothed me with those departing words as I pulled the phone away from my ear and reluctantly set it back into its cradle.

Later that night, the girls and I slept in the boys' old room. My daughters snuggled into Murphy's bed while I slept in Connor's. And it was regrettably only big enough for one person…

.

.

The following weeks were the busiest I had ever experienced. Worrying about adjusting into a new country, making new acquaintances with the townspeople of Clifden, and enrolling the girls into the local school were difficult procedures, but I knew they would all pay off once I was settled in.

Daniel and his father William were kind enough to hook up the electricity back into Noah's old cottage, which made me relieved that I was able to walk around the house without stubbing my toe in the dark.

However, along with the process of becoming a citizen of Clifden, there was also another possibly scary issue that I had to confront as I lay in bed night after continuous night, wondering if I would see the boys again soon and the next step to planning the wedding with Annabelle… I had told her about wanting the ceremony to take place on the first of December at the boys' home church, in addition to Father Sibeal performing the act of joining me and Connor together.

Amidst all the excitement, all the preparations and the waiting up night after night, there was one matter that I had to figure out before I became Danielle MacManus…

What if I was pregnant again…?

With all the stress and running about town and the phone calls overseas, I had failed to notice if I had my time of month over the weeks of October.

Now, it was the beginning of November…ten days before Connor and Murphy's birthday on the eleventh.

While I had been recuperating in the hospital after my attack, the doctors had me take a special fertility test just to make sure my reproductive system hadn't been damaged due to the loss of blood I had suffered along with my required transfusion. Naturally, I was relived to the core when the results came out positive and I would be able to conceive children again in the future.

Now…I had to face the big test that every grown woman had to confront at some point in her life.

After dropping the girls off at Clifden Elementary School, I had Daniel drive me to the local pharmacy to get this taken care of once and for all. I never bothered with an Ireland driver's license due to my being half-blind. And I never understood how someone could drive on the opposite side of the road, either.

"What are ya gonna do if the test comes out positive, Dani?" Daniel sat in the driver's seat of his car, parked in front of the drugstore.

"I'm gonna do the right thing and tell the boys right when they get here. Surely I'm lucky enough that I'm able to have more babies after all the shit I've been through lately." I clutched my purse tightly in my hands, my legs slightly shaking.

"Well, if it turns out ya got a lil' one in there, I'm sure Connor'll be over the fuckin' moon once ya tell 'im. Trust me, lass. There's two moments in life when a man is at his proudest: When he gets married to the girl o' his dreams, and when he finds out that woman is gonna bring his baby into the world." His voice was gentle and comforting, much to my relief.

"Okay…I'm ready to do this. It only goes one in two ways, after all: Minus or plus." I took a deep breath and undid my seatbelt.

"Do ya want me to wait fer ya?" He asked as I opened my door.

"No thanks. After this is over, I might just wanna take a long walk. You know, clear my head." I smiled at my fiancé's childhood friend as he set the car back into drive.

"Aye, I understand. Good luck, lass." He grinned at me encouragingly as I shut the car door and gave him a goodbye wave.

I walked into the pharmacy with my head held high, my purse attached to my side. After purchasing the pregnancy test and an interesting assortment of ice cream, strawberries and chips due to my sudden strange appetite, I nearly ran out of the store, wanting to get away from the prying eyes. Why did I suddenly become so emotional? As far as I knew, I had gotten along pretty well with everyone in town. They had all been nice and understanding when I told them about my partial blindness

As I continued walking down the street, the smell of beef stew from one of the nearby pubs hit my nostrils like violating fumes. I attempted to walk faster and covered my nose with a lock of my hair, which I had dyed back to brown a week after arriving from America.

Not allowing the nausea to weaken me, I tried to think about the possibility of being pregnant again. There was a definite chance that I was carrying another baby inside me…and I began running straight to Annabelle's house, in need of female support.

After a long, hard run up that tall hill, I burst through the front door, not bothering to knock. She came to meet me in the living room, her blue eyes filled with motherly concern. "What's wrong with ya, dear? Ya look like you've seen the second comin' o' Jesus."

"Annabelle…Mom…" I gasped out as I called her the name she insisted I refer to her as. "I…I think I might be pregnant again…with another grandchild."

"Ha! I fuckin' knew it! I knew that was why ya barfed in me favorite urn last week." She laughed aloud as I set my bag of food and my purse onto the living room table.

"Really? I thought it was because I downed a whole strawberry slushie in less than 20 minutes. And I usually hate strawberry…" I went and pulled the pregnancy test out of the sack. "Well…let's get this over with."

Annabelle gave me a reassuring pat on the back as I made my way to the restroom to take the godforsaken test. As per the routine, I followed the instructions on the box and waited for the results to show up, positive or negative. Not wanting to keep this all to myself for long, I came out of the bathroom with the stick still in my hand. My future mother-in-law sat down at the kitchen table with my box of strawberries in front of her.

"So, what's the result o' me son ravagin' ya straight through the night?" She asked humorously as I sat down next to her.

"It wasn't _all _night…just four or five times. And that's not counting the session we had after he asked me to marry him." I chuckled at her in a suggestive way as her eyes widened with surprise and pride in me.

"Aye, ya remind me o' meself at yer age. Only I still didn't have the girlish figure you have after I had me own pair o' bastards." She smiled at the memory.

"You think that's bad. Try to imagine me breastfeeding both babies at the same time. Its one of the hardest things I've ever had to do next to giving birth to both of them. But…I soon figured out that all the trouble is worth it. I love being a mother."

"Truer words have never been spoken, me dear Dani." Annabelle reached over and affectionately took my hand. "Just so ya know, I'm glad Connor found ya, darlin'. I couldn't ask fer a better daughter in this family."

"Thanks…Mom." I squeezed her hand in return as I held up the test for me to see if the results came up yet.

Sure enough, they did.

In front of my eyes lay the pink plus sign…officially confirming that I was six weeks pregnant with Connor's baby.

"Well, what's it say?" Annabelle asked with anticipation.

"Annabelle…I think I figured out what to give the boys for their birthday. Let's schedule an ultrasound with Dr. Kennedy." We both stood up from our chairs as she laughed with excitement.

"Praise be to Jesus! Poor Connor's not gonna be lettin' ya lift a finger once he finds out, darlin'. He'll be the proudest bastard in all Clifden!" She wrapped her arms around me in a loving embrace as tears of joy came to my eyes.

Yes...we either had a little Maureen Katherine or a Michael Noah on the way, growing up healthy inside my thankfully fertile womb. And this time, his or her father would get to see this baby enter the world.

**AN: Please, please… PLEASE REVIEW! It only takes a minute to leave something in that little box. Hope you enjoy and give out some feedback. Happy 2013!**


	20. Here With Me

_Dani's POV:_

For the second time in six years, I lay on the platform of the ultrasound room; my flat belly exposed and prepared to see how the new baby was forming within me. Surprisingly, there had been an opening with Dr. Aislinn Kennedy, who I had met a couple of times over the past few weeks during other doctor-related trips, such as a scraped knee for Delilah or a fever for Isabella.

No words could describe the excitement I was feeling since this visit was due to a happier occasion. Aislinn Kennedy was another kind soul and fortunately, she had the decent heart not to criticize me over carrying a child outside of wedlock, even though I had every intention of marrying the father, baby or no baby. And whenever the girls came to visit the children's doctor, she always gave them any kind of candy they chose, as long as it was only one piece.

I still hadn't told the girls about the baby yet, somewhat not wanting to spoil the surprise until I knew for certain that he or she was healthy and had a good chance of surviving until I went into labor. Even though the doctors at Mass General in the US gave me a full confirmation that I would be able to reproduce again, I didn't want to risk facing the heartbreak of a possible miscarriage.

In addition to me and Dr. Kennedy, Annabelle joined one side of me at the ultrasound table, staring at the screen in astonishment. "Jesus, I never got to have this kinda technology when I was carryin' me own sons to term."

I looked up at her, positioning my head to the side since I was lying down. "Yeah, I had to deal with these detectives who worked with my uncle betting money on what genders my babies were gonna be before I found out they were both girls."

"Alright, dear. Let's see what we got growin' in here." The bespectacled physician carefully ran the scanner across my lower abdomen, down to my stomach under which the baby was making its home. The blurred lines on the screen blended together to create the outline of mine and Connor's unique creation. My heart soared with excitement I hadn't felt since I'd first seen that same image portraying Izzy and Dee in the earliest stages of life.

"Well, I can see that there's definitely a heartbeat present and it overall seems to be makin' good progress at only six weeks." Dr. Kennedy smiled at me and patted my hand encouragingly. "As long as ya continue eatin' healthy and do yer best not to be inhalin' dangerous fumes like cigarette smoke, this one'll grow just fine." Her eyes held a kind of strictness to them, much so that it reminded me of my own mother. "Also, absolutely no ridin' the horses on the farm. This stage o' yer pregnancy is when yer most at risk o' havin' a miscarriage."

"I understand, Doctor. When I was early on with the girls, I got so sick I could barely keep any food down. Connor was desperate to take me to a hospital while we were in New York, but I wouldn't let him risk being caught by police. Honestly, I hadn't even known I was pregnant with them. I only thought it was a serious stomach bug." I kept my eyes on the digital screen as I talked, not wanting to see Kennedy's face as I told her my story. "Nowadays, I'm lucky as hell that I didn't lose them in those few months."

"Ha! Ya can be sure me son's gonna be watchin' ya like a hawk." Annabelle nodded her head to me in emphasis. "Once he gets here with his brother, he'll be in fer a hell o' a surprise."

I smiled brightly at her words, turning my eyes back to Kennedy as she looked at me. "So, is everything good here, Dr. Kennedy?"

"Aye, it seems to be just fine, Danielle. And in case ya were about to ask, its too early to tell if it's a boy or girl. That won't be determined 'till a few more months into the pregnancy." She grinned apologetically as she pulled the scanner off my belly and turned off the monitor.

"Well, do you think I could take a picture home with me? I want to give to the boys as a birthday present for them." I propped myself up by the elbows as she wiped the blue gunk off of my stomach.

"Why, ya certainly can. Just let me getcha cleaned up and I'll be right back to print ya a nice portrait o' yer lil' bairn." Once the rest of the goo was off, I readjusted the hem of my shirt over my belly and sat up, looking to my side at Annabelle.

"Once we get the picture, we've got a couple of other secret errands to run." I whispered in a conspiring manner and she beamed at me in return, chuckling in a mischievous way.

.

.

The picture was appropriately labeled as "Baby MacManus at 6 weeks". After we made our way from the facility, we made a quick trip to another store so we could get a frame for the image and carefully wrap it. My plan was to do just that right as soon as I got home before the girls had to be picked up from school.

Right around at 3:00 in the afternoon, I sat in front of the fireplace, listening to the soft pounding of rain against the roof. It was quite peaceful and relaxing compared to the police sirens and car horns of Boston. I was taping together the wrapping paper around the framed picture of the mystery child within me, my long mahogany hair strewn into a braid, wearing one of Connor's woolen sweaters I had found in the main bedroom closet.

Incidentally, the girls didn't need to be picked up for another hour, so I wasn't too worried about the rain slowing down my transportation into town. Since it was just me in the cottage, I was only wearing a pair of "girl-boxers" under the sweater, feeling strangely free for the first time in awhile. Maybe it was the ecstatic hormones getting to me…

Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of a car engine coming this way toward the house, setting me on alert. Wheels turning onto the grass outside… Who was coming out here in this weather…?

Unless…

My heart pounding with anxiety and excitement, I took the wrapped present into my hands and hastily carried it into the bedroom, quickly storing it under mine and Connor's bed. I'd put it in a better hiding place later…

"I'm tellin' ya, lads, she's been doin' fine here. Everyone in Clifden really respects yer dear Dani. And its been no trouble at all drivin' her." I heard Daniel's voice as the car doors opened and closed.

"Well, we appreciate ya showin' her around, Daniel. I was worried she'd be nervous, meetin' all these people in a country she's never been to before." Connor's deep voice caught my soaring heart as I ran back to the living room and burst through the front door, standing on the porch in milliseconds.

All three men stopped and stared at me, soaking in the pouring rain. From what I could see in front of me, Daniel stood in between Connor and Murphy, who both looked at me in disbelief and bewilderment. The two men whom I wasn't engaged to modestly ducked their gazes to the ground when they saw me wearing just the sweater, but I failed to care at the moment that I wasn't exactly dressed in a ladylike fashion.

My Irishmen were finally home…

I held onto one of the railings of the porch, trying to keep my balance as all the emotions were hitting me at once. Until at last, common sense came to me as thunder rumbled through the sky.

Deciding to make the first move, I released my grip on the railing, and took the two steps down to the wet grass that soaked my bare feet, mud and water trickling between my toes.

"Connor!" I couldn't prevent my voice from nearly screaming out in uncontrollable happiness. My body was in his arms in less than a second, being pulled tightly against his chest. His fingers stroked my brunette braid as he pulled away slightly to get a good look at my face in the rain.

"_Mo ghrá,_ _mo Bride. Tá sé chomh maith go bhfuil tú ar ais i mo lámha." _ His voice lulled in my ear in the Gaelic tongue. Once again, I failed to comprehend what he was saying to me. I really needed to brush up on my foreign language skills… "Hmm...ya look lovely in me favorite sweater, by the way."

My eyelids blinked rapidly against the oncoming raindrops, but it didn't stop me from wrapping my arms in a vice around his neck, even as my foot threatened to pull me down into a small mud-hole in the ground. I struggled to keep my balance, leaning further on Connor's torso. In return, his arms enfolded around me in an embrace so tight, it signaled that he didn't want to let me go anytime soon.

"Hey Conn, here's some advice fer ya: If yer gonna say that romantic shit to her, say it in English so she knows what yer fuckin' sayin'!" Murphy shouted over the torrent of rain. He and Daniel had made their way to the porch before entering the house with their luggage. Or, duffel bags, I should say…

Connor released one of his arms from its hold around me and gave his brother the finger. "Shut it, Murph! I'm reunitin' with me wife." He gave Murphy a look that stood in between teasing and annoyed before turning back to me. "C'mon, love. We don't wanna catch cold out here. Or have ya fallin' into that hole."

He bent down and gently pulled my foot out of the small hole, leaving it entirely covered in mud. As I gathered my balance, he laughed in mischief before sweeping one of his arms under my knees and the other under my back.

As he lifted me up in his arms, I groaned quietly at the fast motion, feeling slightly nauseated. Damn morning sickness… My eyes shut tightly as I fought back the dizziness, trying to not worry Connor…

"Dani, darlin', whatsa matter?" He asked in a worried tone as he carried me up the porch steps, immediately making his way into the house to get me warmed up near the fireplace. Gently setting me down onto the couch, he kneeled in front of me on his knees as I sat before him. "Are ya ill?" His blue eyes lit with genuine fear of my physical condition.

"No, no. It…its probably just my body still adjusting to being in a different part of the hemisphere. Or all the new food I've been eating. Its not a big deal, I promise." I shook my head slowly, feeling slightly guilty for lying to him, even though it would pay off when the boys' birthday came.

"Hey, Connor! There's somethin' under yer bed!" Murphy shouted down the short hallway.

Connor pulled a blanket off the top of the couch and draped it over my lower body. He looked up at the sound of his brother's voice. "Is it yer diary, Murph?"

"Fuck ye, no!" Murphy came in, wearing his own tan sweater. "Looks like there's a present labeled 'To Connor and Murphy: Happy 33rd Birthday. Love, Dani.'" My future brother-in-law held up the present I had just wrapped moments ago.

"Hey, you put that back where you found it, Murphy Aeden MacManus!" I used my strict motherly voice, pointing straight at him. Daniel emerged from the hallway behind Murphy, most likely coming out of the bathroom.

"But what if I wanna open it and see what it is?" Murphy pleaded in a faux little boy voice. "Ya know I got lil' patience fer anythin' Dani, let alone on our birthday."

"But this is the first present I've ever gotten to give you guys since we met. And I want it to be special." I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders and walked right up to Murphy, effortlessly removing the present from his hands. "This is very important to me. And I consider it a gift for the whole MacManus family before I actually become part of it."

Murphy frowned at me understandingly. "'Kay, I guess we can wait another week. But, you'll have to hide it in a better place, or else I'm gonna be tempted to open it anyway." He shrugged before reaching into his pocket for a cigarette. "Well, I'm fuckin' tired. I'm gonna get me some shut-eye. Will the girls be back soon?"

"Yeah, they get out of school in 45 minutes." I met eyes with Daniel's as he stepped around Murphy.

"I need to be headin' back to town, Dani, if ya want me to swing by an' get 'em fer ya." The roughish man offered as I went back to sit with Connor on the couch.

"Sure. That's fine, Daniel. Just be careful out in that rain." I felt my Irish fiancé wrap his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close against him once more.

"Well, looks like it stopped fer now. I'm gonna head out ahead o' traffic. I'll be back soon with yer wee ones." Daniel smiled at both of us. "Ya two really are made fer each other."

Connor chuckled in response to his friend, leaning down and kissing the top of my head. "Thanks fer everything, Daniel."

"It's what we do, Conn. Friends do things fer each other." He opened the door before grinning in silent farewell and exiting the cottage back into the foggy outside world.

Connor groaned as he adjusted himself on the couch. "What's wrong?" I asked him, pulling myself to sit on my knees.

"Its me shoulder. The doctors at the Hoag were able to get that bullet out, but it still leaves the muscle sore." He briefly winced as I thought up an idea.

Setting the present onto the arm of the couch, I cleared my throat to get his attention. "I can massage it for you, if you want." I struggled to keep the tremor out of my voice.

"Alright, I'm sure that'll help a bit." Connor agreed, giving me a little smirk as he lifted up the hem of his shirt to take it off. "Ah…I kinda need yer help, love." He set his arms up into the air as I set my fingers under the dark fabric of the shirt, helping to lift it up over his head.

After the shirt was finally off him, the familiar white wife-beater came into my view, revealing the strong arms I had missed being in for the past month. The very top of Jesus' crowned head peeked out from underneath the tank top, reminding me of the portrait painted along my Irishman's back.

"Speaking of the Hoag, did Romeo make it okay?" I asked, feeling bad that I didn't ask about their Mexican comrade sooner.

"Aye, he's back in Boston, recuperatin' with his Uncle Cesar. Smecker thought it'd be better if he went a different way fer a bit so nobody would be suspicious." He explained, his deep brogue relaxing with the work of my trying fingers.

"Is this okay for you?" I pushed the tips of my fingers into his shoulder, massaging the muscle there.

"Sweetheart, yer heavenly touch can do no wrong, I assure ya that." He turned his head to look at me as I leaned over his shoulder, my body behind his back. "An' ya got such dainty lil' hands."

He took his _Veritas_ hand and played with my tiny fingertips using his own. "Hm, my hands are so small, I was lucky enough to be able to grasp the steering wheel of my car." My voice sank down into sudden sadness as the melancholic feeling came with the hormonal mood swings. Connor noticed my emotional switch right then.

"Danielle, what's wrong?" He turned around toward me as I removed my hands from his shoulder. "Why are ya sad now?"

I knew it was stupid to be crying about such a thing now, but I couldn't help it. The tears took to their freedom, flowing down my cheeks.

"Darlin', please tell me what's wrong so I can fix it." Connor was very worried now, considering I was just fine a minute ago. "Is this about yer eye?" He picked a question out of the air, desperate to know why I was crying. I nodded because that was one of the many reasons I was upset.

In those few seconds, the sobs released themselves out of my throat, my face becoming hot as the tears came faster and in bigger numbers.

"Shhh, me love." He whispered, pulling me to sit on his lap. My arms wrapped around his neck as my head lay against his semi-wounded shoulder. "Danielle, I need ye to listen to me when I tell ye this." I sat my head up to look into his burning blue eyes, focused intently on me. "When I saw ya layin' in that tub, I thought I'd lost ya forever…and ya don't know how fuckin' relieved I was when the doctors said ye'd be alright." He tenderly placed both of his hands on my cheeks, wiping away the pathetic liquid flowing from my eyes. "You havin' this scar doesn't matter to me. Even if ya also ended up deaf, or paralyzed in a fuckin' wheelchair, I'd still wanna make ya me wife. Do ya know why, Danielle Kristina?" He was almost growling out his words, livid at the memory of finding me in the bathroom that night everything went to hell. His hands grabbed ahold of mine and seized them tightly, placing them to rest above where his heart was beating. "'Cause _you_ are the woman that I _love_. You are the mother o' me two beautiful lil' girls. An' there's no other woman I'd rather want to have a family with than you."

One of his hands let go of my mine to trace his fingertip along the raw path of scar over my eye. My sobs decreased as I began to relax. I couldn't find any words in response to what Connor had just declared to me, in a nearly furious way. Perhaps he was afraid somebody had ridiculed me because of my disfigurement. I made a mental note to myself to tell him that I had been treated well in the weeks I waited for him to return to me.

My eyelids began to close as exhaustion overtook my senses. My future husband enfolded his warm, well-built arms around me again, positioning me protectively against his chest. I knew then that I could fall asleep peacefully, knowing he was holding me, keeping his wife-to-be and his unborn baby safe.

"I'm here with ya, me brave lioness. And I'm not goin' anywhere." His reassuring words coaxed me into deep sleep as I listened to his breathing and heartbeat, knowing that he loved me no matter what kind of chaos or danger would be thrown our way.

**AN: As usual, reviews are much appreciated and begged for ;) Please, please leave something in that little box. Thanks a lot! Enjoy!**

**And the Irish phrase Connor says is translated as: "My love, my bride. It feels so good to have you back in my arms." Awww!**


	21. Wherever You Will Go

_Connor's POV:_

I watched the orange flames dance in the fireplace, sitting on the rickety couch with Danielle asleep in my arms. More than anything I was happy to be back home with her and the girls. However, I couldn't help but be troubled by my fiancée's strange behavior: We had been talking while she was massaging my healing shoulder, then she began crying as if somebody had just said a cruel insult to her.

Perhaps she was becoming ill, or she was on some bizarre medication from Mass General back in America…

Or maybe she was homesick…

From everything she had told me back when our relationship was still beginning to bloom, she had lived in Boston all her life. Her own father had been a police officer of the BPD and her mother was a nurse at Mass General before their awful murder a year before Dani had met me and my brother.

Looking down at the sleeping woman in my lap, I was pleased to see that she had dyed her hair back to its natural brown, still wet from the rain outside. One of her hands unconsciously moved to grasp onto the crucifix of my rosary. It appeared that the burn marks along her arms from that damn taser had faded over the passing weeks, which I'm sure she was relieved about.

Whatever was ailing her, I had promised myself and her that I would do everything I could to ensure hers and the girls' happiness and well-being here in my homeland.

The sound of the wooden floor creaking entered my ears as Murphy came in from the hallway. He stopped when he was a few feet away from the couch, wearing a worried expression when he saw Danielle slumbering in my arms.

"What's wrong with her, Conn? Did she catch a nasty bug?" My brother asked with sincere concern.

"I hope not. She looked a lil' sick when I carried her in here earlier from the rain." I heard her sniffle, briefly wrinkling her nose. "I oughta put her in bed 'fore the girls get here."

"'Kay, do yer knight-in-shinin'-armor act, or whatever ya do that gets ya lucky." Murph chuckled as I carefully lifted up my future wife and walked with her in my arms to the bedroom.

When I got there, I could see she had done her share of rearranging. Luckily, my bed was wide enough to fit both of us. Murph would have to take Da's old room… And maybe the girls would enjoy the special upstairs room below the roof.

Deciding to discuss it with her later when she woke up, I gently placed Danielle on the soft bed. She groaned out quietly, so low only I heard it as I slowly slid the sheets and comforter over her body. The petite woman rolled over onto her side and curled up under the blankets.

That action only increased the worry I was feeling for her overall health…

I briefly debated whether to check her forehead for a fever, but I became distracted by the sound of the front door opening in the den.

"Uncle Muffy!" I heard two sweet little voices cry out with glee. "You're here!"

My brother laughed aloud as I walked out of the bedroom, closing the door so the noise wouldn't disturb Dani. Then, I remembered I had left her present for us in the living room. I quickened my pace down the hallway to possibly recover it and greet my beloved daughters.

Both Isabella and Delilah were in Murphy's arms, muttering "I love you" to him. There was no denying the warm sensation in my heart at the sight…

"Izzy, Dee. I've missed ye, too, lasses." He hugged them both tightly, gripping each girl in one arm as he lifted them and spun them around the room. Dee began to wriggle free when she saw me standing nearby, kicking her legs so Murphy would let her down. He obliged, setting the girls onto their feet and allowing them to run to me.

"Daddy!" Delilah almost cried out in her high voice. "I was scared you were in jail forever."

"Me too, Daddy. Mommy's been crying almost every night. We can hear her in her room." Isabella informed me in a sad voice as both of my children clung to me.

"Where is Mommy? Did you see her, Daddy? Is she happy now?" Dee's wide green eyes never failed to remind me of how much she resembled her mother, in both physical appearance and attitude.

My brain tried to make sense of all these questions my daughters were asking me in such an innocent way. As if sensing my anxiety, Murphy came up behind Isabella and gently lifted her up to carry her to the wooden chair by the couch.

In turn, I picked up Delilah and settled down with her on the couch, wanting to answer their questions as calmly as I could without frightening or confusing them. "Aye, girls. I saw yer ma. An' ya know me an' yer uncle Murph here are happy to finally be back with ya."

"I missed you a lot, Daddy." Dee cuddled against my chest, allowing me to put my arm around her tiny body protectively, like a good father should do for his daughter, to make her feel safe.

"You too, darlin'." I whispered, kissing the top of her brunette head. "Do you girls think yer ma is sick?"

"I don't know, Daddy." Izzy answered me, sitting on her uncle's lap. "She's been kinda sad, but then she's happy sometimes."

Well, that sort of explained her sudden mood swing from earlier…

"Where's Mommy now?" Dee looked up at me with those big eyes of hers.

"She's sleepin', sweetheart. We gotta be quiet so we don't wake her, okay?" I asked her, knowing she'd understand without question.

"Daddy, what's that on the couch?" Izzy pointed to the rectangular present lying by me and Dee.

"This is me birthday present from yer ma. She left it in here when she went to take a nap." I reached over to grab it. Delilah crawled out of my lap so I could stand up from the couch and set it on top of the fireplace mantle where it'd be safe. "She said we can't open it 'till mine an' yer uncle's birthday next week."

"Yeah, Mommy always makes us wait until our birthday, too. And she never tells me and Dee who's older." Izzy crossed her arms and glared at her sister.

"I'm older, Izzy. Because I look just like Mommy." Dee stuck out her tongue in defiance.

Murphy and I shared a knowing smile with each other as we listened pleasantly to the girls bickering about how the other was faster or taller…

It made me wonder about how their mother would have them figure out who was the elder twin when they became teenagers… Hell, even our own mother made her special joke about telling me and Murphy which of us came out of her first…

All I knew now for certain was that I loved being a father to these adorable girls and wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

.

.

The afternoon transformed into evening quickly as the hours passed and Danielle continued to sleep. The poor thing must have been running errands all day and wearing herself out. Isabella became concerned enough to leave one of her favorite stuffed animals, the green rabbit Clover, by her mother's side so she wouldn't wake up alone…

Not wanting to burden Dani with the chore of making dinner for us, we all participated in making soup for everyone. It was a relatively quiet event since Murph and I hadn't eaten since we were on the barge ship home. The girls obediently set their bowls near the sink after washing them out. Danielle had most likely taught them to clean their dishes after every meal. Keeping her in mind, I saved an extra bowl to bring to her in bed.

By 8:00 in the evening, it was time for the girls to get ready for bed. After my brother and I said goodnight to them, they climbed up the ladder to their special attic-room, which I could tell they already loved. Murphy moved his bag of possessions into Da's old room as I went to take Dani her supper before it got cold.

When I got to our bedroom, I saw her begin to stir from sleep as I opened the door. Finally, she opened her eyes and slowly sat up on her pillow as I sat the bowl by her bedside.

"Connor? What time is it?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Its about 8 o'clock, love. You've been sleep fer nearly five hours straight. That's a hell of a nap ya musta needed." I smiled at her, assuring Dani that it wasn't a problem.

"Crap, I really didn't mean to sleep so long, especially since you just got here. And all that dumb crying. I…I've just needed time to adjust being away from home…" She trailed off, probably waiting for me to reprimand her for her actions.

"Its alright, sweetheart. I understand if yer homesick." I removed my shoes and sat down by her on the bed, adjusting my lower body to get under the covers with her before enfolding my arms around my moody bride-to-be. "Murph and I were the same way when we first moved to Boston. We weren't used to all the loud noises and the different customs than what we had here in Ireland."

"Well, I'm just trying to take it day by day, you know?" She asked nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal.

"I…I just hope you'll be happy here." She looked up at me as I said that, her emerald eyes glowing in the faint candlelight around the room.

"I _am _happy here, Connor. I've met so many nice people, and I surprisingly get along great with Annabelle." Her bright smile warmed my heart as I pulled her close with affection.

"I knew she'd like ya, love." My own smile formed on my lips as I leaned over to the bedside table and took the bowl of soup into my hands. "On the other hand, I brought ya some dinner. If ya feel well enough to eat…"

"Actually, I'm suddenly really hungry." Her pupils dilated in focus as she nearly snatched the bowl out of my grasp. I could almost hear her stomach chanting out "_Food"_…

"Careful, darlin', yer gonna make a mess." She was practically devouring the entire bowl in one fell swoop.

Dani responded to my words by attempting to eat slower. I quietly reached over and pushed her braid of hair behind her shoulder so it wouldn't accidentally dip into the bowl. The color started to return to her cheeks as she took each individual bite, satisfying her hunger. In those few minutes, she was finished with her meal, wiping her mouth with the napkin I had brought and setting the bowl back onto the table.

What made me laugh was that she had to crawl over me to get to the table, incidentally revealing a pair of boxers under that sweater of mine she was wearing…

"What? It was just me in the house earlier today. And I figured you'd get a kick out of seeing me in your sweater. Doesn't a man always secretly enjoy seeing his girl wear his shirts?" She asked me, sitting back down to display her feather-light legs across my lap.

"Ya know a man always knows the difference in between 'girl' and 'woman'." I informed her gruffly, running two of my fingers down the length of her smooth leg, from her knee down to the calf, ironically the one that still displayed the area where it had to be cauterized. "You…you are the very definition of a woman, me love. You're gentle an' understandin', kind an' brave, an' ya possess a rare natural beauty that may even give the Virgin Mary a run fer her money."

My entire hand caressed the width of her bare leg, goose-bumps forming along her soft skin.

"Connor…" She sighed out in a whisper. "I'm starting to feel hungry again…but for something other than food."

Before I could respond to what she said, her leg slipped out of my grasp and she found her way into my lap again. "What can I do to satisfy yer desires, me lady?" My hands gripped onto her thighs so she'd stay balanced on me.

Without saying a word, she bent down and pressed her sweet lips to mine in a lustful lock before pulling away so she could speak. "Let me get you out of that shirt, Lion. Then, you can satisfy your lady all you want."

I chuckled in a darkly humorous way as I obliged her wishes, allowing her to take the wife-beater off my upper body. Her delicate fingers ran along my disrobed chest in a slow, relaxing way that only increased the instinct for me to make love to her again and cherish this time alone with my future wife…

Once she removed the sweater off her own body and revealed that she wasn't wearing a bra, her flowing chocolate locks loose around her, framing her face, that ended it for me…

"_Tu sei la quintessenza della bellezza vera, Danielle dolce." _ I whispered as she leaned down close to lay her naked body on top of mine, as we reunited in the most unforgettable way as a man and woman in love.

.

.

The following week trudged by as mine and Murphy's birthday approached. Danielle became even antsier by the day, being on alert whenever either me or my brother were within earshot. We managed to get the cottage in order as we settled in the small house we used to share with Da during our dark time of isolation from America.

During that week, we showed the girls and Dani around the stable so they could see the horses. The huge animals immediately took a liking to all the womenfolk. One black stallion particularly caught Dani's eye, the intimidating creature sensing her admiration for the equines. She dubbed him 'Il Duce' since the tall beast reminded her of our dearly departed father.

The strange thing was that when I offered to let her ride him, she refused, claiming that she hadn't ridden in years and felt inexperienced. I sought to ask her if that was the only reason she didn't want to ride, but I figured she'd tell me when she felt it was right. As a soon-to-be married couple, we had to be honest with each other, but I didn't want to smother her with any overprotective tendencies.

Instead, the horse was content to just have her in his presence, permitting her to pet his muzzle, brush his mane and feed him sugar-cubes.

At last, on the big day we had all been waiting for, it rained so hard that we decided it too hazardous weather to celebrate at our Ma's house, so we settled for having the little occasion at the cottage. We all sat in front of the fireplace, Dani shaking her whole body with impatience.

Murphy and I held the present from her, sitting on the couch next to one another, anxious to see what had been keeping Danielle on her toes for the past week. We began arguing over who'd get to open it until Dani defused our fight and suggested we take turns on each side of the rectangular present.

Childish, I know, but it had to stop before we started cursing in front of the girls…

I tore the wrapping paper quickly but carefully, not wanting to damage whatever it was concealing. Murphy did the same, trying to be gentle with the gift Dani wanted to give us. What we saw just made us stare in silent contemplation.

It was a framed picture…filled with a bunch of blurry, scanned images of something…something alive. I saw a tiny head and the text below the image said that a healthy heartbeat was clear…

Then, we both caught sight of the scribbled marker under the picture: "Baby MacManus at Six Weeks".

It all suddenly made sense as Murphy and I looked at each other in disbelief: Her mood swings, the ravenous appetites for both food and carnal sex, the long periods of sleep…

"Danielle…yer…" I only managed to breathe out those words as I saw the tears flow down her cheeks.

She only nodded, standing up from her chair and carefully placing her hands on her belly. "It…its too early to tell if it's a boy or girl…but I went to the doctor before you came back and everything's fine."

"Well, I'll be damned!" Murphy cried in elation as the girls started cheering.

"We're gonna be big sisters, Uncle Muffy!" Both girls cheered, running to their uncle to wrestle him in excitement.

In turn, I stood up from the couch slowly, not taking my eyes off Danielle, the picture clutched tightly in my hands. My feet began to take me across the small space between us. She didn't remove her eyes from me either, waiting to see how I would react to this certain huge surprise she worked so hard to keep special for me and my brother.

"Happy birthday, Connor Liam MacManus…my precious Irishman." Her voice was choked up with delighted tears, which I wiped away from her face when I got close enough to her. "I hope you…you like what I got you." She let out a small laugh as she took my hand in hers.

The initial shock wore off as I stared harder at the digital portrait of my baby growing in my fiancée's womb, warm and healthy. While I still felt a little scared, I was happy that this was the resolution that resulted from Danielle's secretive behavior.

"Danielle…ya could not've given me anything better than this." Two tears slid down my own cheeks as I held my love's face in my hands with greater care than ever. "We're havin' a baby." I leaned forward to touch my forehead to hers before finally giving her a kiss of gratitude and everlasting love.

Everyone else stopped celebrating loudly in the background when they noticed me and Dani having this poignant moment together. Reluctantly, I reached down toward her belly, glancing up at her for permission.

"It's okay. You can feel. I won't break." She smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling even more than I'd ever seen them before.

I kneeled down on my knees in front of her, much like when I had first told her how much I cherished her as a man did a woman and placed my hands onto her clothed stomach. It was too early to feel much movement from my perspective, but I was still absorbing the news that there was my child growing within the woman I loved more than anything in the world.

"That…that's me baby inside ya?" I looked up into her eyes, the question sounding like how a young boy would ask his mother a question about something he really wanted to know about.

She only nodded her head in response as another damn tear escaped my eye. This was probably the only time Murphy would let me get away with crying like a pussy. I looked behind me to see Murph holding the girls in his arms, tears brimming in his own eyes. The girls only watched in fascination at my communication with their mother.

Danielle ran her fingers through my hair as I lifted up the hem of her top, exposing the vulnerable skin of her belly, where this extraordinary little one was growing. Not finding any words for this moment, I pressed my lips to her stomach, hoping the baby could somehow sense that I was here. And that I wasn't leaving my family's side again, like I had done years ago.

"Happy birthday, boys." Dani whispered, breaking the silence in the small living room.

"Thank you, me love. Thank ye." I murmured, looking up into her eyes as I still sat on my knees. I owed so much to this woman and I was determined to repay that debt by the way of being the man she had wanted her whole life and being the father my children deserved.

**AN: The phrase Connor says is Italian for: "You're the epitome of true beauty, sweet Danielle".**

**Also, I start class again on Monday, so my updates will be less frequent. I know, it sucks, but it happens. In the meantime, reviews are appreciated and wanted. **** Thanks, and please enjoy!**


	22. Everything

_Connor's POV:_

_I'm in the living room of Dani's house, coming back from a recent job involving a dangerous warlord of some sort. I empty out my duffel bag of weapons on the coffee table in the quiet darkness, suddenly becoming aware of the eerie calmness surrounding me. _

_No sounds of any kind, no voices, are coming from the hallway or kitchen… _

_Dread surfacing under my skin, I take out my cell phone to call my new wife and see if she went somewhere before I came home. As I listen to the ringtone, I hear the noise of her own phone vibrating on the dining room table. _

_I walk over to the table and take her phone into my hand, staring at the screen displaying my name. _

_Then, I hear the heartbreaking cry of pure helplessness… A baby's wail of horror…_

_I shakily set the phone back where it was and walk as fast as I can down the dark hallway, following the sound of the child's keen. The light from the bathroom leads me to the tragic, bloody mess. _

_The crimson liquid covers the white tile floor and rug, and there in front of the bathtub sits a tiny baby girl, about six months old as it looked, crying hysterically in fear…and drenched in her mother's innocent blood._

_My wife lay lifeless and pale, her eyes open in seemingly peaceful death as she lay soaking in the bathtub, bleeding out in the depths of scarlet water… Her wedding ring remains on her finger, intact and undisturbed as her arm hangs limp over the tub's edge._

_The baby cries louder as I automatically reach for her and lift her out of the puddle of murder evidence, my own sobs choking me despite my attempt to hold them back. _

_I am too late to save her this time. Too late to offer my life in exchange for hers…_

My eyes shot open as I gasped for breath. To my immediate relief, I looked around in the darkness to recognize that I was in my own bedroom in Ireland, with my darling pregnant fiancée stirring at my side from her much-needed slumber.

"Connor? Are you okay, baby?" Her voice was broken with a yawn as I felt her arm rest against my chest, acknowledging that she was here with me.

"Aye…uh, I'm fine, darlin'. Ya oughta go back to sleep." I coaxed her, adjusting the warm blankets up to her shoulders as she pulled herself closer to me.

"I can feel your heart pumping real fast. Did you have a nightmare?" Her fingers brushed along the skin above my heart, which began beating faster at the sensation of her gentle touch.

"No, no. I, uh…" I failed to think of a real answer to say, but I couldn't lie to her. Not after everything we had endured in the course of our relationship.

"Lion…" She called me her favorite nickname as she reached over and turned on the small lamp on her bedside table. "It's okay to be scared. You're only human, you know?"

"Danielle…I…" I struggled to get the words out, afraid she would think I was a coward. "I did have a bad dream."

"You wanna tell me about it?" Her voice was a soft whisper, understanding and prepared as I saw her eyes flood with curiosity.

"Not really. It won't do shit to fix anythin'." I mumbled dismissively to her, trying to make her forget it as my arms wrapped around her and pulled her as close to me as possible, grateful that _this_ was my reality.

"Conn, if we're gonna be married, you need to be able to tell me anything, good or bad. I know I've kept my fair share of secrets from you and I promise never to do that again, but I need you to reciprocate that pact by telling me something that's bothering you." She raised her hand to stroke her fingers through my hair.

"That's just it, Dani. _ Reciprocatin'_." I whisper to her in a nearly furious tone, trying to keep a sudden wave of tears from pouring out of my eyes. "That night…when I asked ye to marry me, I promised that I'd keep ya safe and do everythin' to take care o' ya. And then…when Murph an' I came back to yer house…"

I couldn't continue on as genuine, uncharacteristic sobs released themselves from my throat. Danielle enfolded her arms around my neck, hugging me tight in a comforting embrace. My head rested on her shoulder as she shushed me with reassurance.

"Connor, its okay. _I'm okay_. The girls are okay. I am so sorry you and Murphy had to see me like that." Her own voice started to collapse with tears along with her words.

I managed to lift my head off her shoulder as my sobs dwindled despite that I felt a couple of tears roll down my cheeks. "The only thing I'll tell ya about the dream is that…when I saw ya in the bathroom…ya were already dead in the tub…an'…an' there was a baby on the floor by ya."

She took a deep breath of fear as I tightened my grip around her shaking body. "Oh, my God, Connor. It…its gonna be okay. We're gonna make our family okay."

Dani took my hand in hers, tenderly placing it onto her stomach above the covers. She turned to me and smiled, her different colored eyes glowing in the faint light. Using her other hand, she placed it onto my stubble-covered cheek and drew me in for a kiss.

"I know you and Murphy would do anything to protect us. And I know I'd do the same for you and the kids." She positioned her head onto my upper chest as I lay on my own pillow, holding my beloved wife-to-be close and safe.

"Believe me, love. 'Til this wee one comes, I'm gonna be doin' whatever it takes to take care o' ya in yer fragile condition." I gently teased her, pressing my lips to the top of her head and catching the floral scent of her shampoo.

"Have you…had this nightmare of yours before?" Her question was filled with a cautious air to it, as if she was afraid of my answer.

"Aye." I admitted, knowing it was pointless to be false with her. "A few times back at the Hoag. Only…the baby wasn't there before."

"Well, I want you to know, Connor, that I'll always be here for you, just as you were there for me." She snuggled closer to me so that we were welded to one another's side. "And I know it's scary, what happened to us back in September, but we're safe now. Nobody but our friends knows that we're here."

"Yer right, love. I'm more than happy to be home with ya now." My arms enfolded even tighter around her.

"By the way, how long are you gonna be helping me shower? I must say you did a pretty good job tonight." She smiled in a playfully seductive way that sent my heart beating in its own triathlon.

"Possibly…ev'ry night 'till me lil' baby comes into the world. I don't wanna risk ya slippin' an' gettin' hurt." I chuckled deeply as I said those slightly serious words.

"It makes me wonder…how do you know so much about how to take care of a woman?" I saw her eyes narrow in suspicion as looked me straight into my own gaze.

"Ya could call it me instinct as a man to take care o' the lass he loves, just like I promised I would." My voice was deep with solemnity as I stroked her half-scarred cheek with my fingers. "It's called _nurturin_', Danielle."

"Hmm…that feels good, what you're doing with your fingers." I could barely hear her voice as she began to sink down into sleep, her jeweled hand keeping its place above my heart. "I don't think I can stay awake anymore, Connor."

"Thank ye, darlin'. Fer yer wise words." My voice was husky with exhaustion as I heard Danielle breathe out, falling asleep against me. "G'night, me love."

I relaxed on my pillow, cradling my precious bride-to-be close to my chest and allowed myself to dream of our hopefully happy future.

.

.

It was now a week until the wedding. Murphy and Daniel teased me constantly about my "impending doom" as a married man, but it was all done in good nature. As for Danielle and the girls, they seemed to finally settle into life in Clifden, Ireland. As a special surprise, I took the womenfolk to the beach where they could enjoy the cool air and crashing waves of the sea.

As the afternoon progressed, Isabella led her mother out into knee-deep water, laughing loudly in joy. On the other hand, Delilah was afraid of the waves and selected to watch the others playing. Both little girls wore blue bathing suits with "floaties" attached to their arms. Dani wore a green suit with a blue shawl covering her lovely figure. It was delightful watching them splash one another and hearing their laughter.

"Daddy?" Delilah asked me, sitting down beside me on the sand. "When Mommy has the baby, will you guys still love me and Izzy?"

"Darlin', o' course we will. Why would ya say that?" I reached over and removed a few grains of sand from her brown ponytail.

"I don't know. Because you weren't there when me and Izzy were born." Her voice was filled with a heartbreaking curiosity that dared anyone to not answer honestly.

"Oh, sweetheart." I sighed, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. Picking up my daughter, I set her into my lap and kissed her head. "I always loved both o' ye girls. An' I always loved yer Ma. Don't ya ever think that I never did, okay?"

Delilah's green eyes looked up into mine with certainty before a pretty smile appeared on her lips. "Okay, Da."

"Hey, ye stole me accent, young lady." I laughed as I lifted up my little girl and spun her around in my arms.

"Connor, its so beautiful here!" I heard Dani's voice coming closer as I turned around toward her, holding Delilah.

"Aye, ya like it, love?" I asked her as Izzy raced toward me. Bending down to grab her up, I hoisted the girl up onto my shoulder.

"Daddy, put us down!" Isabella laughed out in her innocent bliss.

"I love it. Its been years since I've gone to a beach." Danielle wrapped her shawl tightly around her shoulders as I set our daughters back onto the sandy ground.

"I'm happy ya like it, Dani." I smiled brightly at her, giving her loving kiss on the hand before setting my own hand onto her belly. "Can ye feel the wee one in there yet?"

"Not yet. It'll be awhile before I feel him or her kick." She grinned back at me as the sound of thunder rumbled through the gray sky.

"We better get back 'fore it starts pourin' on us. And Murph'll be done givin' the girls' teacher a _special _tour o' the house." I whispered the last part to her jokingly.

"Connor, I think its nice Ms. Baylee and Murphy like each other. I sorta feel like he's been left out and I know he's good with the ladies." She nudged me with her elbow before looping her arm through mine.

"I'd say 'good' is a bit o' an understatement, love." I shook my head as we began to walk across the shore back onto the grassland, raindrops trickling down onto us.

Sure enough, after we sent the girls inside the house to change their clothes, Dani and I found Murphy and Baylee asleep in a pile of hay in the stable, a horse blanket covering them up to the bare shoulders…

"I'm so glad I've been making Murphy pick up the girls from school." Dani giggled through her quiet whispers as we backed away from the stable entryway to give the two lovebirds some privacy.

I'd give Murphy grief later when he woke up, that was for damn sure…

.

.

Finally today was the day of December 1st, the wedding we'd been anticipating for weeks. One down side was that Danielle and I had to be separated the night prior to the ceremony, as it was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the act took place. Dani and the girls stayed at my mother's house while Murphy and I stayed at the cottage. In the meantime, I had taken time to shave the scruff off my jaw and face, wanting to look presentable as possible for my wife.

Now, I stood underneath the huge stained glass window of the Clifden local church, with Uncle Sibeal standing behind me with the Bible in his hands. Murphy stood to my left, obviously being my supportive best man. As for the guests, nearly everyone we knew in town came to attend the ceremony, which most likely meant that Danielle must have won their hearts with her American charm. Ma sat at the front of the pews, smiling at me with pride.

"Will ya fuckin' stand still? Its not like she's gonna run away on ya." Murphy tried to calm me as I fought the urge to pace around with anxiety. I didn't have time to respond as the soft flute music began and the chattering audience silenced.

Here we go…

The tiny figures of my adorable daughters emerged from the open doors, both of them wearing light blue dresses that symbolized their purity and innocence according to Irish custom. Isabella held the Celtic Knot of unity on a pillow while Delilah threw out flower petals as she walked her way eagerly down the aisle. Both girls beamed when I caught their eyes, causing me to wink at them affectionately.

Then, the procession of bagpipe players came in, announcing the arrival of my bride with the trademark song for her. The sound of their music ringing in my ears gave me more confidence that this was real and I wasn't dreaming. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, thanking God for giving me this time to be with the woman I loved in the right way so we could be a family and raise our children. And for allowing her to live despite all the pain and suffering she endured…

Opening my eyes again, I saw the silhouette of two slim figures emerging from the light outside the church. The first one I recognized was Eunice Bloom, our FBI friend who had helped us back in America, only her red hair was black now due to her supposed fugitive state.

On her arm was the one human being I knew to be the most beautiful woman in the world…

Danielle walked by Eunice's side toward me down the seemingly lengthy aisle, holding a bouquet of Irish-Bells in her hands. Her brunette hair was strewn into two braids that hung on each side down to her breasts and her body clad in a light green dress that appeared to be sleeveless, the skirt flowing down to her ankles, revealing a pair of what seemed to be ballet slippers on her feet. A shawl colored of a darker jade clung to her shoulders, preserving her fair skin from other men's view.

She came closer and closer to me, shivers traveling up my spine as I absorbed more details of her beauty. Her smile was luminous and the happiest I had seen in a long time. Eunice stepped to the side to release her arm and let Danielle take her place in front of me. We turned to face each other as the bagpipes faded away into the air and the silence overtook the room again.

I saw that a thin wreath of Irish Eyebrights and more Irish-Bells was crowned upon her head, the image of her taking my breath away.

After Sibeal announced to all the guests that this was the day of our union, he allowed us to exchange our vows that weren't exactly traditional, but were meaningful, nevertheless.

My turn came first, my hands gently grasping those of my bride: "Danielle, I've been deeply in love with ye fer the past six years, an' in the time when we were separated, I never thought any other woman could compare to how ye make me feel. An' I find that to be truer than ever. I believe that God brought us back together so I could see how strong an' resourceful ye'd become an' so I could meet the two lovely lil' ones ya brought into the world in me unforgiveable absence. Now, as yer husband, I'll listen calmly when yer angry, protect and comfort ye when yer afraid, carry ye when ye can't walk, wait on ye when yer ill, an' die if it means savin' yer life an' keepin' ya from sufferin' any more pain at all. I love ye an' I can't wait to see what God has in store fer us in our future together."

Quiet tears began to stream down her face, but she quickly wiped them away so she could exchange her vows to me.

She cleared her throat so everyone could hear her. "Wow, I don't know how I'm gonna beat that." We all chuckled at her joke before letting her continue. "Connor…when I lost my parents, I thought it was all over for me. And I thought God was playing a cruel prank on me on the night of my attack…the night you and your brother found me. I remember that all I really heard was your voice asking if I needed help, and I felt your arms help me stand up from the ground. I was in too much pain to pay attention, but what I really noticed was your blue eyes, how they lit like embers before I revealed my attack to you…then I felt you catch me in your arms before I hit the ground. And I knew I was safe. Despite all the arguments and shouting matches we got into, I knew that you cared about me and you made me feel passion that I had never felt before. You protected me, held me, comforted me and you showed me that I was worth caring about again. You also gave me two beautiful daughters that I have loved since the day I found out I was pregnant with them. As your wife, I promise to be your light in the darkness, your strength when you're weak, your comfort when you're sad and to be the angel on your shoulder."

We each stared into one another's eyes, prepared to take this next huge step in our lives. Uncle Sibeal reached the conclusion where it was our turn to trade the everlasting promises as a married couple. "Do you, Connor Liam MacManus, take Danielle Kristina Smecker to be yer wedded wife,'til death do ya part?"

My hands squeezed Dani's tighter at the mention of death, but I managed to answer in a clear voice. "I do."

My bride grinned widely at my answer before the good Father acknowledged her turn to speak. "Do you, Danielle Kristina Smecker, take Connor Liam MacManus as yer lawfully wedded husband, 'til death do ya part?"

"Aye, I do." She gently mocked my brogue, much to mine and the guests' delight.

I felt my own tear escape my eye, still holding her delicate hands in my grasp. Father Sibeal stepped forward with the sacred Celtic Knot and gently tied the ribbon around mine and Dani's wrists, binding our hands together. "The Celtic Knot is a symbol of eternal unity which can never be broken by any force on Earth. By the power in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Connor, ya may kiss yer bride."

Danielle smiled as she took one step forward to kiss me. Our lips united in this moment as the guests cheered for us. My heart flooded with gratitude as I managed to slip one hand free of the knot and pull my wife closer to me as we took these precious seconds to be joined as one.

"Ladies an' gentlemen, lads an' lasses, I now present Mr. an' Mrs. Connor MacManus." I still couldn't believe it as we pulled away and turned to face the applauding crowd, my racing heart swelling with pride. Murphy whistled behind me and the girls cheered in joy for us next to a smiling Eunice.

After all the trials and tribulations we went through before being joined together in the eyes of God, Danielle Kristina Smecker, my only true love and the mother of my children was now my _wife_…

**AN: I know, I took some liberties with the traditional Irish/Celtic wedding ceremony, but I wanted it to be different for these two. I hope you all enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE! That's all I ask…**

**Btw, the opening dream sequence is an homage to a shocking episode of the Showtime series, "Dexter", in case you guys were curious...**


	23. Cowboys and Angels

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME STRONGLY IMPLIED SEXUAL CONTENT.**

_Dani's POV:_

"Yay, Mommy and Daddy!" Isabella and Delilah cheered for us, running up to hug me around the waist. Connor unwound his arms from around me as I bent down to embrace our daughters.

"Congratulations, you two." Eunice smiled brightly, glancing between me and my new husband with her sparkling brown eyes. She looked wonderful in her light purple dress, her black hair just barely touching her shoulders.

"Thank you, Eunice. Thank you so much for coming here." I hugged her tight, much like I would my own sister had I ever grown up with one.

"Sweetie, I wouldn't miss this day for the world. And I gotta say, your choice of groom ain't that bad." She gripped my hands affectionately as she leaned closer to whisper conspiringly in my ear. "I got a pair of handcuffs you can take on the honeymoon." The former redhead smiled, raising her eyebrows suggestively as I did my best to keep from bursting out in laughter.

"No, I don't think we'll be able to let go of each other for the rest of our lives." I briefly looked behind me to see Connor trapping Murphy in a playful headlock, laughing in celebration. We momentarily locked eyes, sapphire against emerald, and he flashed me that boyish grin that sent my heart pumping, his gaze filled with adoration as I beamed in return.

Murphy managed to free himself from the headlock as Baylee O'Shea came to join his side. She was an attractive woman, about seven or eight inches taller than me, with dark eyes and long mahogany hair stopping near the middle of her back that contrasted against the ebony color of her dress.

I turned my head the other way to see more in my good eye. Izzy and Dee were hugging Annabelle in delight. The happiness flowed through me as I felt Eunice squeeze my shoulders warmly, saying that she had to use the ladies' room.

Looking around at the crowd of people, I saw everyone chattering and smiling, making conversation amidst the wonderful occasion. As I played with the ribbons tied about my waist using my fingers, I felt a pair of strong arms enfold themselves to encircle me in their tender hold. Soft lips kissed along my exposed neck, not caring that we were in public and in a church nevertheless.

"Ya look indescribable, me love. I've never seen anyone so angelic in me whole life." Connor's deep brogue purred in my ear, his hands gently resting on my flat abdomen.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Mr. MacManus." I only turned my head to face him, looking into his blue eyes. "I see you even shaved." My hand raised itself to stroke his smooth cheek, my fingertips gently running down his jaw.

"Don't worry. In a week or so, it'll grow back." My husband chuckled deeply before stepping around me to stand in my frontal vision. Finally, I noticed he was wearing a white button-down shirt and an open black vest. Honestly, he looked as striking as ever. "How do ye feel? Ya feel alright?"

"Yeah, I feel okay. I've been feeling pretty good for the past few days." A wide smile formed on my lips as I wrapped my arms around Connor's neck, still holding my Irish bouquet in one hand.

Our foreheads pressed together as my husband grinned down at me, folding his safe arms around my waist in a way to silently communicate that he was also fine, physically and emotionally.

.

.

Everyone ended up outside the church, enjoying the weather before the reported rain returned to force us all back indoors. My system became used to the new foods and drinks of the Irish culture, but I avoided any alcoholic beverages due to my pregnancy. In the meantime, Eunice couldn't stay much longer, so Daniel's father William drove her to the secret location where her private plane would pick her up and take her back to her hideout on the outskirts of East-Jesus-Nowhere.

The customary first dance between me and Connor went smoothly; thank the good Lord, since I hadn't really slow-danced since my senior prom in high school. The song selection for our waltz was the classically infamous "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues. Despite a few crude lyrics, it was the perfect song for the occasion being it the beginning of December and me being a part of the wily, unpredictable and wonderful MacManus clan. Connor was especially careful not to twirl me around too much or too fast so I wouldn't risk having an embarrassing nausea attack.

Pretty soon, everyone else ended up dancing with us, couples and children swapping with one another. The girls took turns in between their father and uncle as I did a brief dance with Father Sibeal, giving me the opportunity to thank him for all his help. As the hour wore on, my husband came to claim me back into his arms once again, his flaming blue eyes alight with the fire of boyish delight.

"Its about time fer our ride to be here, love. Ya think we oughta tell the wee lasses goodbye?" His hands grasped my shoulders in a comforting way, making me feel better about leaving our daughters for a whole week.

"I…I don't know, Connor. I haven't really been away from the girls for very long before. And it makes me so nervous after everything that's happened." I whispered to him worriedly, not absorbing the fact that other people were around us.

"Danielle, they'll be fine, I swear. Murph an' Baylee will take good care of 'em. An' I made me brother promise to behave himself with her in front o' Izzy and Dee." His fingertips slowly made an invisible path down my cheek, quietly reassuring me. "An' we gave 'im our hotel phone number just in case."

"Okay…that does make me feel kinda better." I chuckled my distress away, not wanting to ruin the evening with anxiety. Then, I felt a tiny tug on my dress skirt.

"You look so pretty, Mommy!" Isabella smiled up at me with her adorable dimples, her sky-blue eyes matching perfectly with her dress.

"You too, Daddy." Delilah pointed up at her father as he took ahold of her small hand in his much bigger one.

"Thank ya, lil' darlins'." Connor laughed happily at our beloved offspring, bending downward to kiss them both on the cheeks. "Yer ma and I are about to leave fer a few days. Yer Uncle Murph is gonna stay with ya at the house. Is that okay with ya?"

"Yeah! Can Uncle Muffy let us ride the horses, Daddy?" Dee nearly begged both of us with innocent hope.

"Only if he's with you both. I don't want you around the horses by yourselves." I interjected before Connor could answer, placing my hands in front of my belly.

"Yer mother's right, girls. We know you'll behave fer yer Uncle Muph, aye?" He used a deep, paternal air to his voice that was still new and intriguing to my ears.

"Yes, Daddy." They both answered at the same time, a subtle reveal that they were twins that knew everything about one another.

Suddenly, the faint sound of hooves clopping on the asphalt of the nearby street made me alert to our transportation arriving…

A genuine horse and carriage set to take us to the Galway Inn, near the edge of Clifden's town borders…

"Bye, Mommy. Bye-bye, Daddy." Isabella and Delilah hugged us both separately, allowing us to say farewell only for a few minutes' time. It took a bit of courage to pull away and make my way to the carriage, which was being driven by a professional horseman.

"Are ya ready, me love?" Connor held up his arm for me to take it so he could lead me to the coach like a real Irish gentleman.

"Yes." I answered softly, taking hold of his arm as the crowd of guests behind us started to cheer in congratulations.

"If he drives ya nuts, call me!" Murphy's voice yelled out over the shouts of departure. Annabelle and Baylee waved to us, smiling widely as the girls began picking their favorite flowers out of my bouquet, waving in our direction.

We were both inside the carriage before I was even aware of it, Connor setting his strong arm upon my shoulders, tickling my upper arm with his fingers. "It seems we get a few days to ourselves, Danielle. Just you an' me."

I looked up into his eyes in response before leaning forward to give him a kiss, a sneak preview of what I imagined would happen when we arrived to our glorious suite of paradise.

However, once we finally arrived to the doorway of the suite with our luggage, I started to feel pathetically tired. I did my best not to present my weariness to my husband since this was our wedding night after all, something every girl fantasized about from the time they were sixteen. Granted, Connor and I had our share of many passionate nights in the weeks leading up to the actual ceremony. And now that my pregnancy with another baby was out in the open, he was more careful with me than ever before…and I couldn't help but appreciate it.

Connor set down his bag, along with my suitcase, by the door, turning around to face me. "Well, here we are, Dani. Do ya feel ready to be Mrs. MacManus?" His hands held mine in an unbreakable grip, daring anyone to pull me away from him.

"I don't think I've been more prepared for anything else." A tear made its way down my cheek, one of longing and happiness in this moment.

My husband sighed out in one long breath, not wanting to say his feelings with mere words. Instead, he reached out and opened that door, still holding my hand with one of his.

"Well, prepare yerself to get the royal Irish treatment, me beautiful wife." A playful growl escaped from him as he carefully positioned his arms against my back and under my knees, carefully scooping me up in the way he had carried me numerous times before, in both blissful and scary situations. This time, his arms were more loving than ever in the way he held me to his chest, my arms enfolded naturally around his neck and shoulders. He walked across the threshold, watching his step in order to not risk tripping and dropping me. Most likely, he was being cautious due to our vulnerable baby forming within me…

"You know, I never really understood this part of the tradition, carrying the bride across the threshold. You'd think the doorway was on fire or something." My voice was filled with a calm sarcasm as Connor began walking to the queen-sized bed to lay me down on it.

"Well, regular legend has that the threshold o' a newlywed couple's house is infested with evil demons, so the groom protects the bride by carryin' her so she won't be snatched up by those wicked bastards." The Irishman slowly set me down onto the bed, close enough to the pillows that I could lean on them. "However, me love, ya know that I'll protect ya from anyone that tries to harm ya. I know yer smart an' strong, but I'll never be able to take that night back."

He silently reached over and placed his fingertip on the top of my distinctive scar. Now I understood what he was talking about…

"If I could give ya the other half o' yer sight back, I sure as hell would, but I can't. In exchange fer that loss, I'll never take another day with ya fer granted again, Danielle." He climbed over on the other side of the bed and took my tired form into his arms.

"I know you won't, Connor. You never have taken advantage of me in any way. And now that we're married, we can finally see how far love can take us." I lay my head on to his shoulder, allowing my eyelids to droop as I freed my feet of my ballet slippers. "Honestly, I don't think I've been this happy in years. One thing that would've made everything perfect is…that I wish my parents could've seen me. Like meeting you and Murphy under different circumstances, us falling in love…" I trailed off as I tried to imagine what could've happened if I hadn't lost my parents or been raped by an evil scumbag.

"I woulda loved to have met yer folks, Dani. Hell, I'm sure yer Da woulda hated me at first, but I guess all fathers feel that way 'bout men who sweep their lovely daughters off their feet." His chest vibrated with a deep laugh as he kissed my forehead.

"My mom would've loved you, though. With your irresistible accent and Irish charm and chivalry." I lightly skimmed my nose with his in a playful manner.

"I'm sure yer Ma an' Da are watchin' over ya in Heaven, love. You've overcome so much in yer life an' you've managed to keep yer kindess and courage to help other people." He ran his tattooed hand along the width of my clothed thigh, causing shivers to travel down my leg. "Do ya feel hungry or tired at all?"

"Not really, right now. But…I was thinking of having a bath later. If you wanna help me, you can." I whispered that last sentence, enjoying the way his fingers pulled the tiny bands out of my braids, allowing my hair to hang freely loose and comfortable.

"It'd be me pleasure to aid ya with anthin' ya need, love. Just like I vowed to ya, there's nothin' I won't do to make ya happy an' secure." Connor's fiery eyes burned with truth as he said those words to me, his _Veritas _hand moving from my thigh to my belly, rubbing it with care. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep me family safe."

My handsome lion laid his head to rest upon my stomach as I leaned further into the soft pillows, taking these moments to bask in the silence of being truly alone together and anticipate the following hours of our first night as husband and wife.

.

.

Incidentally, the bathroom only included a stand-in shower chamber with a sliding door, much like the one in my bathroom from when I had first met the boys. I still hadn't changed from my wedding dress, with only the flower-wreath absent from my head and my feet bare from the shoes. As for supper that night, I ate everything from biscuits to bananas and cookies. Basically, many different kinds of food groups that were bizarrely mixed together… Connor found my appetite both humorous and quite strange as he'd watch me run back and forth around the kitchen, carefully making sure I didn't trip over the rug and hurt myself.

Now, all I really wanted tonight was a nice, hot shower to calm my nerves and to fall asleep in the arms of the man I loved with everything I held dear to me. I knew Connor was on his way to join me as I turned the knobs of the shower and activated the water. Steaming liquid rained down from the shower-head, calling me to provide it with a human body to cleanse.

I stood completely naked before the mirror above the sink; my arms wrapped myself in an attempt to shield my skin from the breezy chill. The sound of footsteps entered my ears as I heard him clear his throat, the bathroom door creaking open as he came up behind me. I first felt the fabric of a tank-top against his torso, his arms enfolding around me in their warmth.

"Danielle…" His voice said my name in that familiar way I knew with him, as if I were the one thing that could keep him sane in that moment. "I honestly don't think any Shakespeare verse could describe yer beauty right now."

"That's a shame. I was looking forward to some _MacBeth _or _Hamlet_ tonight." A nervous laugh exited my mouth as I briefly felt the cold metal of his belt buckle linger on my lower back.

"Do ya…do ya want me to just stand outside the shower an' make certain ya don't slip, or should I join ya?" His tone of voice indicated that he was giving me a choice and whatever I decided, he would accept without argument.

Rather than answer him verbally, I turned around to fully face my husband and pressed my lips to his. My fingers grasped onto the straps of his wife-beater, leading him into the shower. We both managed to fit inside with enough room to move around with careful steps as long as we stayed close to one another.

Pretty soon, I threw that damn tank top off him, exposing his chest and that amazing tattoo of the Savior Christ along his back. The water sprayed all around us as he gently washed my body with his hands, his lips and tongue alternately savoring every single inch of me. Not many words were said in that session in the shower, even though it was definitely more than I had ever imagined how my wedding night would proceed. My husband made his actions speak for him, never showing a hint of aggression or domination, showing that we were equals in this relationship, no matter what disagreements we had in the past.

However, despite the erotic sensuality of that evening, we didn't actually make love right away in the shower. We supposed that all we wanted to do was show how much we cared for each other, the extent of how much we treasured one another.

Soon enough, we were under the covers of our warm bed, arms holding each other, clothed in pajamas since it was December, after all.

"I guess this means we're not like other couples since we didn't have sex on our wedding night." I said to him quietly in the darkness. "Just wait until I get bigger with the baby. You're not even gonna want to see me without clothes on."

"Don't give me that, lass. Yer talkin' about me wife, ya know." He teased me good-naturedly, giving me a kiss on the shoulder. "I'm sure there were other bastards in America who wanted ya in me absence."

"Yeah…sometimes I wonder what happened to those guys." I giggled as I heard him growl mischieviously, his arms pulling me closer to him.

"C'mere, you. Let me show ya how much a man can truly love a woman." His words and voice caused me to contradict my earlier assumption about staying abstinent for tonight. We did quite the opposite, pleasuring ourselves and each other in more ways than one.

After all, we never knew how precious the ones we loved really were until they were nearly lost from us forever…

**AN: Okay, I believe this chapter sucks royally, but I hope everyone enjoys it, nonetheless **** Please, please review… Pretty please…? Thanks and have a great week.**


	24. No Light, No Light

**Hey, guys! I apologize wholeheartedly for the hiatus. School has been a nightmare and making me miserable **** But, here I am again with another chapter! Please review! It makes me so happy!**

_Connor's POV:_

_**THREE MONTHS LATER…**_

I heard my lovely wife breathing out softly in her sleep as I woke up, the faded blue light of the early dawn momentarily catching me off guard. Looking over at the rotating hands of the clock on the nightstand, I saw that it was 6:30 in the morning. This was sort of the time of morning where I expected her to awaken again with her continuous bizarre food cravings.

Danielle lay safely against my chest, one of my arms enfolded around her shoulders with my other hand placed protectively on her rounded belly. She was five months along and still more beautiful than ever…and I couldn't have been prouder of my family. The slumbering woman stirred, causing her new whistle necklace to land its cold metallic surface on my fingers. I caught the little instrument between my fingertips, remembering the day I had given it to her, two weeks prior on the night of her 25th birthday…

"_Connor, this party was more than enough. It might as well have been a baby shower, too. Thank you." She reached up to kiss me as I beat her to it, wrapping my arms about her waist and lifting her small feet of the floor in spite of her adorable baby bump._

"_Yer welcome, love. I was prayin' Murph'd be able to keep ya away from the house 'til Ma an' I got everythin' ready fer ya." Her eyes briefly rolled at me as I leaned upward to give her a quick kiss on the lips. Setting her back onto the floor by our bed, I cleared my throat as I prepared to speak again._

"_Well, it was all wonderful. In fact…these last few months have been unbelievable, with the girls turning six years old two weeks after the wedding. From now on, we're gonna have to cram like hell between our anniversaries and the birth of our daughters." She laughed in a somewhat tired way as she slumped down to sit on the side of the bed._

"_Now that ya mention it, Danielle, there's somethin' else I'd like to give ya. Somethin' a lil' more personal." My voice was uncharacteristically shaky as I handled the wrapped box in my hands, holding it in her direction. I sat myself on the bed's edge next to her, hoping she'd accept what I was preparing to say. "I got more to tell ya, but I want ya to open it up first." I gently encouraged her. _

_She only eyed me curiously as she took the box carefully into her hands, tearing the colored paper away with her sturdy little fingers before revealing my gift to her. "Connor…is this…?"_

"_Aye, it is, Danielle. It's the lil' noisemaker that led me an' Murph to find ya." Before she could say anything more, I gathered up the faux piece of jewelry and separated the clasp from its attachment to place it around her neck. _

"_How…I thought I lost it years ago…after you left America." I silently shook my head at her as she said it, wanting to explain to her._

"_No. Back at yer house one mornin', Isabella was lookin' fer a bracelet under her bed an' she found yer whistle tucked into the corner there. She gave it to me since she didn't know where it came from." After gently clasping the chain around her neck, I felt my heart sink slightly as she turned around to look at me. _

_I half-expected her to reprimand me, yell at me, or even slap me for presenting her with a painful physical reminder of the past, but instead, she surprised me just as she did on any other day. _

"_Connor, don't you ever believe that what Lappazzi did to me was your fault. You hadn't even met me then. God gave me one last bit of strength to signal anyone for help, and that led you to find me." She gazed deeply into my eyes, not a trace of anger or sadness present within her own. _

_Smiling quietly at her, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her neck. "An' I thank the Lord ev'ry day fer leadin' me to ya. I thank Him ev'ry day fer you an' the girls…an' our baby. Happy birthday, me angel." _

_Despite all the flowers I managed to have the living room flooded with for the party, and Murphy ridiculing me for being romantic, I knew she'd hold this token dear that was the catalyst of mine and Danielle's volatile but devoted relationship… _

I snapped myself away from my memories to the present as Dani roused herself awake, the silky material of her tank top brushing on my upper body.

"Mm…Connor? I…I feel real hungry again." Her voice whispered calmly, her green eyes glowing in the dim morning light.

I had become accustomed to this nearly daily routine. She would wake up early in the morning, craving many different foods before changing her mind about them by the time I got around to obtaining the certain goods for her.

Fruits, sweets, juices…so much of it that our small cabinet was almost swamped with everything from all the varieties of food groups.

"I guess me lil' boy in there has quite the appetite." Chuckling at her, I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it, briefly feeling the ring on her finger graze my cheek.

"We don't know for certain if it's a boy yet, remember? I thought you wanted it to be a shocker." A yawn interfered with the end of her sentence.

"I do, Danielle. No matter what the baby is, it'll be the pride an' joy o' our family. Next to our lovely daughters, o' course." I felt her fingers run through my hair on the top of my head.

"Speaking of our daughters, they should be up any minute now, bugging Uncle Murphy to take them to school again. I swear, Izzy acts more like you every day, right up from when she could walk and talk. Sometimes it's like she's a little-girl version of you, Connor MacManus." My wife laughed humorously as I stroked my fingers along her abdomen, tickling it in a playful manner.

"What'd ye expect? That our daughters wouldn't inherit some o' their Da's traits?" My voice was pitched in a clueless, innocent way as she lightly punched my arm.

"Oh, Jesus. Shut it, you big Irishman." She squeezed my foreman in a teasing approach as we continued our game of foreplay and banter.

"That's _my _line, woman." I growled out to her as I positioned myself on top of Danielle for some quick fun before our daughters woke… It was during our nights and mornings together when we were the closest physically, in one another's arms and talking about the new baby, taking our new life day by day.

And with our good days, those of difficulty would accompany them. Welcome to the first year of marriage, Connor MacManus.

.

.

The weeks went by along with the growth of the baby inside my bride's womb. My heart was pounding frantically as the days passed along, the news I had just been informed about invading my conscience as I considered once again letting Danielle in on what was going on. Luckily, I had time to discuss my dilemma with my brother before she returned from taking our daughters to spend the night with their doting grandmother.

"Fuck, Murph! What am I gonna do? How am I gonna tell her that we gotta leave her again fer a mission?" I angrily set my fingers into my hair, grabbing at it with frustration.

Murphy sat next to me on the rickety couch, sighing in contemplation. "I don't know, Conn. Ya just gotta tell Dani the truth an' see how she takes it. She might need a couple days to adjust to the news, but I'm sure she'll come around. She always understands when somethin' needs to be done."

"Well…we need to consider the fact that the baby is comin' in two months and I can't afford to miss any more of me wee ones' lives." My hands clenched into fists, the knuckles softly beating against each other in anxiety.

My brother began chewing on his thumbnail, a nervous habit he had ever since we were kids. "If ya want, ya can have the battle in here an' I'll make sure not one o' ya leaves this room without the issue bein' fixed. An' when she talks, don't interrupt her. Let her release some steam…an' don't be surprised if she locks ya outta the bedroom tonight."

"How the hell do ya know so much about this couples arguin' shit?" I asked as the sound of footsteps on the porch entered my ears.

"Experience I've had with me own lady friends, Connor." He smirked as he turned to the sound of the door opening, revealing my love in her rain-soaked maternity shirt, her ponytail a wet dark brown.

"Hi, guys." She greeted us cheerfully, in one of her good moods today thank the good Lord. Her eyes quickly assessed the expressions upon mine and my brother's faces, that something was troubling us. "Is everything okay?"

"Danielle, sweetheart…" I started, standing up from the couch to slowly approach her with the news. "There's somethin' me an' Murph have to tell ya." When I came close enough to her, my hands reached out and grasped hers within them, an automatic gesture.

"What…what's wrong?" Her question dripped with concern and impatience. I led her to the soft armchair and beckoned her to sit down. As she perched herself on the chair, I sat back down next to my brother, not taking my eyes off the woman in front of us.

"We…we got a call from yer uncle today while ya were out with the girls…an' he says we have to leave fer Chicago next week. On another mission. An' we don't know exactly how long we're gonna be gone." I kept my eyes on the floor as I confessed to her, feeling ashamed at the possibility of breaking her heart.

"Dani?" My brother asked her after she didn't answer for about thirty seconds. "Are ya alright? Ya look a lil' sick."

I looked up at his words to see that she had gotten back on her feet, her small hands placed on her belly and her face ashen. Worry overwhelmed me as I took three quick steps to her side and enveloped her into my arms, wanting to comfort her.

Surprisingly, she pulled away from me, ignoring my gentle interrogation about her health. "No…I…can't lose you again, Connor. Not again." She began to sob out as she made her way to the hall that was the pathway to our bedroom. "I'm not gonna have you guys die on me before this baby comes."

Murphy managed to get in front of her, blocking access to the hallway. His usually mischievous face was serious when he looked down at the woman whom he called his sister. "Dani, I hate to do this to ya, but yer not leavin' this room 'till we all talk about this. We're a family, right? Da wouldn't like it if we parted on shitty terms, pissed at each other."

Danielle turned away from my brother so that she was facing me instead. She gasped out as her head turned back and forth between me and Murphy. "So you two are trapping me now?" Her voice cracked up an octave on the last defensive note as her jaded eyes burned at us.

"No, Dani. We both know better than anyone that yer not someone capable o' bein' caged long." My brother attempted to joke with her, but neither she nor I showed any pleased response to it.

"Then please move, Murphy. You can't force me to talk to your brother if I don't want to." I watched her ponytail shake as she moved her head, trying to see a way around my brother, who was considerably broader and bigger than she was.

"I'm blockin' yer way 'cause I care about both o' ya. An' I'm sure neither me nor Connor wanna be broodin' the whole fuckin' time we're gone if we made ya so upset." Murphy's blue eyes softened as he looked down at his sister-in-law, proving that he couldn't be mad at her for long just like me.

"Okay, okay." She paused to set her hands onto her hips, something she did whenever she wanted to think about something. "I…I just worry…that I'll become a widow after you leave here." Those words caused my protective instincts to instruct me further. I enfolded my arms around my wife once again from behind her, pressing a kiss onto the top of her head. Her hair still smelled of the moisturizing rain outside.

"Danielle…I've told ya over an' over again that I'll always come back safely to me family no matter what." My voice informed her as gently as possible, desiring to conceal the irritation I felt at making her distraught.

"No…I've been an orphan, a rape victim, a single mother and a wife…but I'll die first before I allow society to label me as a broken widow." Danielle struggled suddenly out of my arms, pushing away from me before I could pull her back.

Her action even caught Murphy unexpectedly as she ducked underneath his arm and wobbled away as fast as she could into our bedroom.

"Danielle! Please, darlin', come back." I took the first few steps toward the hallway as Murphy moved out of my way. The slam of our door made me freeze in place as Murph put his hand on my shoulder.

"Let her go. She might just need the night to cool off. Pregnancy makes women do all kinds o' crazy shit." My twin chuckled as I turned to glare at him. That statement only made me more vexed about my unhappy wife.

Then, the sound of her quiet sobbing echoed on the walls of our cottage, making the lights seem to decrease with their brightness. My feet carried me to our door as her crying continued. Murphy stood by, making sure I didn't do anything erratic like punch a hole in the wall in my madness. My hands grasped onto the doorknob and turned, only for the lock to click and prevent me from actually opening the door.

"Danielle, me love, I understand if ya don't want me to sleep in the bed with ya tonight, but please unlock the door." Desperation dominated my voice as I heard her try to get control of herself, her unstable breaths scaring me further. "Dani, please. Unlock the door. I won't come in unless ya say so, but if somethin' happens, Murph an' I need to be able to get to ya."

Truthfully, I could kick the door open with enough force if I wanted to, but that would only frighten and anger her even more…

"Dani, Conn an' I aren't mad with ya, we promise. Fact is, if ye make him wait out here any longer, he's gonna go outside, stand at yer window in the rain and shout yer name loud enough fer the neighbors to hear." My brother smiled at me as he prodded verbally at both of us with the _Streetcar Named Desire_ reference. Only the difference between me and Stanley Kowalski was that I would never lay a hand on my wife to harm her, regardless of how my temper enflamed me at times.

Before I could retort to Murphy's joke, I noticed that Dani had become silent and her miserable sobs had ceased.

"Danielle…love? Are ya alright?" I pressed my ear to the wood surface of the door, listening for anything on the other side.

"Co…Connor…" Her voice was so low I could barely hear, like she sounded weak. "M…Murph…" She rasped out both our names as we struggled to open the door, sensing that she was in pain.

"Stand back!" I ordered my brother. He obliged me as I lifted my foot and kicked against the door as hard as I could. The lock was defeated as the door crashed open and presented a shocking sight.

Danielle kneeled onto the floor, her legs closed together and a strange liquid puddle spreading around underneath her slumped form. She looked up at us with glassy eyes as I rushed forward to save her before my nightmares of losing her became a reality.

"Help… The baby's coming." My wife whispered out to me and she turned even paler and sweat beaded onto her forehead.

Ferocity and determination whirled inside me as I carefully lifted her up, adrenaline making me have the energy to do so in spite of her heavier weight. Murphy shared the same look with me as we raced to the car, and sped away to the Clifden hospital.

Mine and my brother's internal rage wasn't quite as intense as it had been back in Boston after finding out about Dani's half-blindness and the abduction of the girls, but the fact that us upsetting her caused her to go into premature labor only made us at fault for what was happening.

I hoped the Virgin Mary was watching over us tonight. Danielle's pained breaths only made me squeeze her tighter to me as we sat in the back seat of our car. Murphy drove as fast as humanly possible through the pouring rain, casting worried glances over his shoulder back at us.

_Blessed Mother Mary, please let her and the baby suffer as little as you can. Please don't allow her to be punished anymore. I'm not gonna let her die… I'm not gonna let our baby die._

I closed my eyes shut and prayed for the Holy Virgin Herself to show mercy on the woman in my arms as we pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. Dani released a scream that set unshed tears into my eyes as Murphy allowed a spew of profanities to exit his mouth. My brother leapt out of the driver's seat and raced inside to get help.

Her arms wrapped around my neck as I scooped her up out of the seat and prepared to carry her inside to the building and to whatever fate awaited the whole MacManus family… to whatever the chances were if our baby would live…

.

Soon enough, we received our beautiful answer on the early morning of May 2nd, 2006. It was little Maureen Katherine MacManus…our little Mary-Kate as Isabella and Delilah dubbed her. A redheaded ray of light in our clan…

**AN: This is the second-to-last chapter of this story. I hope everyone enjoys and leaves time to review…please! It makes so ecstatic! Happy March!**


	25. Tha Mo Ghaol Air A'ird a' Chuain

**Hi, everyone! So…here is the final chapter of this story, sad to say. Its been a total blast writing this and reading your reviews over the months! You guys are the best! I also may post a playlist of songs that I think match the story perfectly. **

**Without further ado, here is the final act of "I See a Darkness"…**

_Dani's POV:_

Tiny and fragile Maureen Katherine MacManus. I had chosen to name her after the legendary screen actress Maureen O'Hara**, **with her nickname Mary-Kate standing as the shortened version. It wasn't exactly the easiest of labors, especially since we had to confront the fact that she was born eight weeks prior to her due date.

A risky C-section had to take place in order to get the baby out of my womb safely. Needless to say, Connor was scared to death when the doctors explained to him what happened in the procedure of one, but I did my best to calm him down, assuring him in between breaths that the doctors knew what they were doing and would do their best to make me feel as little pain as possible. My husband held my hand and whispered that he loved me as I sank into the silent oblivion and was unable to sense his fingers around mine.

The scariest part of that hospital stay wasn't the labor and surgery itself, but the news that the doctors had informed me and the boys about when I was lucid enough to understand them. Since I had given birth to Izzy and Dee close enough to their respective due date without complications, there was very little I had known in the way of premature babies.

"Why can't you bring her in here yet?" I asked my main doctor, a man about in his mid-30s with thinning brown hair and stern eyes. "It's already been hours since I've woken up."

"Mrs. MacManus, I'm afraid the baby is too weak to be physically outside the womb. The last couple months of pregnancy are very vital for him or her to form properly." I listened intently to his words, trying to keep the worry and growing anger from making me lash out. "I'm also sorry to inform you that there seems to be a highly unlikely chance that your baby may survive long. I'd say past three days, give or take. We're keeping her in an incubator for now so her temperature will remain stable…"

All I heard was a ringing in my ears as he continued to talk, or rather drone on, about the baby's condition. My eyes stared at the drably painted wall of my room. I felt a strong warm hand grasp onto mine, gripping onto it with silent support and subtle defense from what the doctor was telling me.

Looking down at my captured hand, I saw the black letters of the word _Aequitas_ across the index finger and found myself briefly staring at the face of my brother Murphy, standing guard over me while Connor had gone to call and inform my Uncle Paul about me having the baby early.

At last, the muffled words of the doctor faded away as he left the room with barely a passing glance. I heard Murphy huff out a breath of quiet rage, his jaw clenched in that way I recognized when he wanted to kill someone. His hard blue eyes melted from ice to liquid as he turned to me and pulled his rosary out of his shirt, motioning for me to do the same with mine. We both grasped one another's hands tightly, murmuring a prayer to God for Mary-Kate.

She had to live… She had to survive the nature of her first twenty-four hours of life. Then, I began to suspect, what if it was my fault? If I hadn't let my out-of-control emotions get the better of me, my body wouldn't have made me go into labor so soon.

If my little baby died, that blood would stain my hands, another addition to the variety of lives I had taken in the past.

"Connor should be back here soon. Do ya want me to getcha somethin'?" His unique voice asked me gently. I chose to answer his question with another one, however.

"Murphy, what if she doesn't make it? If…if she doesn't, I'll never forgive myself…because I know it'll be my fault. If…if I hadn't gotten so upset about you leaving that…"

"Hey, hey. Dani." Murphy's voice became gruffer and more rough than usual with his temper, his hands tightening around mine in emphasis. I could already feel the throbbing of the veins in my wrists. "Don't ya _dare_ fuckin' think like that! Ya understand me?" He seethed at me with toned down fury, only evident in his facial features than in the way he held his body, sitting beside my bed. "I'm not tryin' to scare ya, lil' sister, but ya need to get where I'm comin' from on this. I'm not much with words, so I'm gonna make this shit quick. Gettin' those letters from ya about the girls kept me from goin' crazy, an' they made me the happiest I'd ever been in years. An' _this_ lil' lass ya got here, she's gonna grow up healthy an' loved by everyone in our family. An' I know I'm gettin' mushy here, but I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to ya or the girls. An' this lil' Mary-Kate means as much to me as a proud uncle an' big brother as you, Izzy an' Dee do."

His hands loosened around mine as tears ran down my face for about the millionth time in my whole life span. I had never truly realized how Murphy viewed me and the girls as his family. In a way, I was bound to him as much as I was bound with Connor. While Murphy and I didn't see each other in a romantic sense, I knew he loved me as a part of his family with as much protective intentions as his brother, who was also my husband, did...

"C'mere." He pulled me into a comforting hug. "I'm not mad at ya fer any of it. Includin' the secret about the girls. Ya were scared an' just tryin' to protect us. Yer a damn good mother an' a hell of a wife to me brother."

I smiled faintly at his praise, wiping the pathetic tears away. Crying wasn't going to make the baby recover anytime soon. All I could do was hope and pray, even if it seemed to be a waste of time.

.

.

Connor was expected to be back to my room soon. Anxious to get the blood going in my legs again, I swung them over the side of my bed, using my arms for support. What I truly wanted was to see my baby at the NICU center down the hallway. My toes skimmed the cold tile of the white hospital floor as I heard my door open.

There stood my husband, the one person I needed to see in that moment. I had never seen him look to so exhausted and worried than when he saw me right then, attempting to free myself from the confines of my bed, slightly disoriented and drained of energy. The whites of his vivid eyes held a speck of pink to them, as if he'd been crying himself.

No words were desired for us to communicate what the other needed. He took three quick steps to me and gently helped me to my feet, his arm about my waist and the other using his hand to hold mine for support. My head spun for a second before clearing up and allowing me to gain my balance.

"I wanna see her. They won't bring her in here, Connor. They keep telling me she might not live, but I don't wanna believe them." My blood boiled with internal rage at the implication that they believed our baby didn't have the strength to survive.

Connor pulled me closer to hold me tightly to him, as if to shield us both from my words. "Murph told me about the talk he had with ya. Danielle, ya gotta promise me that ya don't blame yerself fer what's happenin' now. Love, ya did nothin' wrong. Ya had every fuckin' right to be pissed with me an' me brother."

"Baby, I don't wanna talk about that right now. I just need to see Mary-Kate. Please, before I go crazy." I reached up with the hand he wasn't holding and gently ran my fingers down the back of his neck.

He opened his mouth to respond to my desperate order when we both looked up to the sound of the door opening again. A black-haired nurse entered, clothed in a blue uniform and gloves covering her hands. She was pushing what seemed like a little cart on wheels with a machine attached to it and numerous cords and wires entangled together in a frenzy. They all appeared to be connected to the clear box with small holes dotting its surface. A little bundle of red flesh lay within the box as my heart hammered inside my chest, the tears burning my eyes and blurring my vision.

"Mr. an' Mrs. MacManus, I was able to talk to Dr. O'Leary and he agreed that you should see the baby. The only condition is that she can't be touched. Her skin is far too thin. One little poke could leave a bruise. Her heartbeat sounds to be normal for now, but there's no guarantee that it'll be stable for long." She folded her hands together, her eyes downcast to the ground, as if she was ashamed to be giving this unfortunate news to us. "I'll leave you alone with her, if you'll excuse me."

She left the room in a thankfully fast manner, sensing that I was about to break down at the sight before me. An agonized moan escaped my mouth as Connor kissed the top of my head in a comforting method. I found myself pushing away from him, loosening his protective embrace and took the steps to the box containing our child. My palms were placed upon the top of the box, feeling the hard surface that shielded my little angel from the harsh environment.

"Baby girl…baby girl. Mommy's here. Mommy and Daddy are here." I chanted to her. My voice was only a choked whisper, as if the air inhaled into my throat was threatening to suffocate me instead. Connor came up behind me and took ahold of my hand again, _Veritas_ gracing my peripheral vision as his fingers curled around my own, his other hand placed on the hard plastic of the box alongside mine.

"We're gonna make ya okay, lil' one. Yer gonna grow healthier by the day an' yer gonna meet yer amazin' big sisters." Connor's voice gave a gentle depth to him, absent of anger or characteristic playfulness. "This lovely creature watchin' ya is yer ma. She wants to name ya Maureen Katherine, somethin' classic an' beautiful, just like you. An' I'm yer da. I want ya to know that yer the best thing that ever happened to me. You, yer sisters an' yer Ma, ya keep me an' yer Uncle Murph from goin' off the deep end."

The sound of his voice murmuring to our daughter made everything seem calmer and almost serene. His strong fingers squeezed mine in reassurance before he continued crooning to her.

"Please, darlin'. Can ya hear me in there?" He questioned her softly, my heart slowing down with the silence of the room around us.

Mary-Kate began twitching her impossibly small fingers up, then her hands curled up into involuntary fists. She lay on her side, her little head covered with a hat to keep her from getting chilled and a white blanket covering her pudgy legs. Other than that, she was connected to wires from every angle.

But what changed the moment was that she was responding to our voices and knew that we were her parents. And the one thing that restored my faith that she would make it was the white rosary hanging at the front of her box, the blue beaded string dangling down to hold the crucifix symbolizing that God was watching over us now, intent on protecting this irreplaceable baby that would forever be ours, mine and Connor's.

From the way my husband enfolded me into his arms at the sight of Mary-Kate managing to wriggle around, I knew Satan would repent for his evil before he allowed anything to happen to her…

.

.

The weeks went by and Mary-Kate grew stronger with each health report from the pediatric doctors, graduating from the incubator to being held on my bosom and eventually into the arms of her father and uncle, taking turns of course. Eventually, I was discharged as a patient from the hospital, but I kept seeing the baby a couple times a day as the nights wore on. With usually Connor, Murphy or the girls as company.

Isabella and Delilah instantly adored their new baby sister, arguing over who would get to play with her first when she was able to come home for good.

And speaking of home, there was still the subject of the boys having to leave Ireland and back to the States for who knew how long. All we were told was that this would be the final mission for the Saints so they could settle down permanently with their family and raise the children. And as the wife of Connor MacManus, I had to share the Saints with the world, knowing I couldn't have him to myself forever. And, I knew I would wait for him to come back to me, no matter how long it took.

If it took a month, a year, or even a decade for them to come back, there would be no other man I would want by my side other than the one I had married, the one who vowed before everyone he knew from his childhood to cherish and guard me and our daughters with his life.

And the dreaded day came not long after Mary-Kate was finally strong enough to be out of the hospital and could function as normal as possible. The girls and I came to see Connor and Murphy off at the coast where the barge ship was loading up.

"I'll write to ya as soon as I can, Danielle. We can't use the phones in case anyone's trackin' us." He held my face in between his hands since my arms were holding Mary-Kate, whose blue eyes were staring straight up at her father and her mouth brightening into a smile.

"Will you promise me not to take any unnecessary risks? Be careful and do whatever you have to do to protect each other. And do it with a clear conscience." I held our baby closer to me as I heard the girls tearfully saying goodbye to Murphy.

"I promise ya, darlin'. I'll always come back to ya, one way or another." He reached out slowly to take Mary-Kate into his arms for this spare moment we had. "An' _you_, lil' one. I'll be thinkin' about ya an' yer sisters every minute I'm gone."

Our infant daughter cooed up at him and tried to reach with her hand and touch the scruff around his mouth with her miniature fingers. He leaned down and kissed the top of her fragile head. The horn of the ship alerted us that it was the instant of our separation. Connor carefully handed the baby back to me at the departure bugle sounding through the air.

Connor's hands were placed tenderly on my cheeks again. "Farewell, me love. An' stay safe."

His blue eyes held mine in this lone moment where we had to use little words to understand one another. _"Tar ar ais chugam, mo saighdiúir cróga." _I whispered back.

He smiled brightly at the fact that I had been learning to speak native Gaelic with a lot of effort and with hope to surprise him. Needless to say, he wasn't disappointed.

My husband leaned down to give me one last passionate kiss on the lips before Murphy's voice forced us to pull away. "Conn, we gotta go now!"

My brother-in-law was standing by the boarding deck, awaiting Connor to join him.

"Goodbye, Danielle. I love ya an' I always did from the mornin' ya first woke up in mine an' Murph's apartment." His hands rubbed my shoulders in a soothing manner as I tried to keep the tears from falling.

"Daddy, wait! Me and Dee wanna say the prayer for you before you go." Isabella quickly joined my side with Delilah not far behind.

"Alright, sweetheart. See if ya can say it fer me. Ya can do it." He kneeled down closer to their eye level.

Both little girls spoke in unison with helpful glances occasionally cast at one another.

"And shepherds we…shall be. For thee, my Lord, for thee. Power hath…descended forth from thy…hand. That our feet may swiftly carry out thy…command. So we shall…flow a river forth to…thee. And teeming with souls shall it ever be. _In nomine Patris… et Filii et… Spiritus Sancti_."

"Oh, you brilliant lasses! Yer Da loves ya so much!" He joyfully picked up both twins in his arms and held them close.

"We love you too, Daddy. We'll miss you." Delilah sighed out and laid her head on his shoulder as Izzy kissed his cheek.

"I'll miss ya too-" He was interrupted by the ship's horn blowing again. The huge boat was leaving any second and he was about to miss it.

Before he could say anything more, he had no choice but to turn away from us.

"I love all o' ya, more than anything!" He practically ran to the boarding deck and stepped onto the boat, joining Murphy at last.

Those were the last words I heard him say that day…

The tears flowed down my cheeks as I held our baby Mary-Kate in my arms and the little girls held onto me, burying their faces into my stomach as they tried not to cry.

None of us had any idea when they would be back, but as I watched the ship disappear into the horizon, I could only have faith that everything would work out for the better.

The girls, all three of them, would grow to be strong and confident women, not taking crap from anyone while keeping their decency. When they were old enough, they would know about how I had met their father and uncle, and understand why they had to be away for a majority of their lives.

They were good men doing what society considered a bad thing: killing people. But, they only killed the evil ones. They were vigilantes. Just walking the line between hero and villain. In my eyes, they were true men of honor, protecting the good people from meeting undesirable demises at the hands of corruption.

Only one more question sat inhabited in my mind as I no longer saw the ship upon the sea. Would Isabella, Delilah and Mary-Kate lead similar lives to Connor and Murphy when they came of age, when God gave them their special Calling?

Would they be capable of killing and/or defending other people when that fateful time came when they became young women?

Only God had the answers to those questions and we could all only find out in the years to approach.

_**THE END.**_

**Okay, first off, what Dani says to Connor is Gaelic for "Come back safely, my brave soldier." And the title for this chapter comes from the song by Julie Fowlis about a young maiden who awaits her true love's return from a long journey by the sea. I hope you all enjoyed it!**


	26. Story Playlist of Songs

**Alright, to end off, here's the playlist for this story, including some of the songs mentioned in the narrative of the story itself:**

"_**Love You 'Till the End"**_ _by the Pogues _

"_**Fairytale of New York" **__by the Pogues & Kirsty McColl_

"_**I See a Darkness" **__by Johnny Cash_

"_**Boston" **__by Augustana_

"_**Ireland" **__by Jeff Danna (from the BDS: 2 soundtrack)_

"_**Line of Blood" **__by Ty Stone_

"_**Better Days" **__by The Dirges_

"_**Slow Me Down" **__by Emmy Rossum_

"_**Home" **__by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes_

"_**Jar of Hearts" **__by Christina Perri_

"_**Black" **__by Kari Kimmel_

"_**Into Dust" **__by Mazzy Star_

"_**The Parting Glass" **__by The Wailin' Jennys_

"_**Falling Slowly" **__by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova_

"_**Wild Horses" **__by The Sundays_

"_**Lion" **__by Rebecca St. James_

"_**Mad World" **__by Gary Jules _

"_**Wildflower"**__ by Sheryl Crow_

"_**Breath of Life" **__by Florence + the Machine_

"_**Seven Devils"**__ by Florence + the Machine_

"_**The Galway Girl" **__by Celtic Thunder_

"_**I'm Already There" **__by Lonestar_

"_**Here With Me" **__by Dido_

"_**Wherever You Will Go" **__by The Calling_

"_**Everything" **__by Lifehouse_

"_**Cowboys and Angels" **__by Dustin Lynch_

"_**No Light, No Light" **__by Florence + the Machine_

"_**Tha Mo Ghaol Air àird a' Chuain" **__by Julie Fowlis_


End file.
